A Boy and his Monkey
by funky123
Summary: A different Pokemon partner, a male role-model and a wake up call to make Ash realise his actions have consequences. These experiences and more while Ash is in his formative years pave the way to a different Pokemon Champion wannabe.
1. Chapter 1

A 9 year old Ash Ketchum was humming to himself as he made his way through the lush forest surrounding Pallet Town, an endeavour he had been undertaking consistently for the last 2 years. It was mid-afternoon and he knew his mother would be expecting him back in the next couple of hours so he was meandering through the familiar foliage as he made his way home.

He'd just finished exhausting himself with a family of Ratatta and Raticate, the smallest of the creatures having boundless energy and even driving his 9 year old self to the brink of collapse. He had played the part of a hunter and chased the little ones around their territory, up into the trees and down through the undergrowth and fallen tree trunks until eventually catching his quarry. Ash very much enjoyed his time with the Pokemon in the wild, he had become quite close with several families spread throughout the forest and his time spent with them was what he looked forward to the most.

As he walked a rustling over-head caught his attention, smiling to himself he maintained his pace and carefully pretended to ignore it until he saw a small white creature in his periphery. As the creature drew closer Ash sprung into action, leaping at the creature and pinning its arms to the ground and with a big grin Ash shouted "Ha! Got you again Mankey!". Laughing out loud as the familiar Mankey underneath him struggled out of his grip and began its predictable tantrum at being caught out.

Mankey decided to get his vengeance and barrelled into Ash's chest and the two began rolling around on the floor in their usual wrestling match, Pokemon and human laughing and shouting all the while. Ash had met this Mankey just 6 months previously on one of his ventures and after an initial tussle he had managed to persuade the Mankey that he meant no harm and from then on he would often attempt to sneak up on Ash. Unfortunately for the fighting Pokemon stealth was not something it was adept at and so was almost always caught out, much to Ash's delight and Mankey's frustration.

Ash wasn't sure if this Mankey had a family or not, or even where he came from. As far as he knew Mankey were not all that common in the area which he had found out from Professor Oak at one of the talks he did for young aspiring Pokemon enthusiasts. He figured the Pokemon looked healthy enough though and certainly had plenty of energy so he was probably doing alright.

Their tussle came to an end with Mankey as the victor utilising his first-rate Pokemon strength and Ash's arm at an almost painful angle (Mankey hadn't _quite_ got the message that Ash wasn't as durable as him). Ash tapped out and got to his feet, brushing himself off and bumping his fist to Mankey's offered paw, a gesture Ash had introduced as a way of gaining the creatures trust.

"You're something else Mankey, I need someone to teach me. I know you're a Pokemon but I'm bigger than you and I have more reach, I should be able to do better." Ash groaned as he stretched out his arm, massaging the joints in order to dissipate the soreness.

While he stretched and watched Mankey start up some shadow boxing he got an idea, why not get Mankey to teach him some moves? He was a fighting-type Pokemon after all and so had an intuitive knowledge of combat, just like how a fire-type can breath fire instinctively. Alright it may not be that easy to translate what Mankey knew into something useful for a human, but if nothing else he could at least have someone who knew what a good punch looked like. Plus, Ash thought Mankey would appreciate the company as he always seemed to enjoy the play fights they had, he'd just need to avoid taking any full powered hits or his mum would go nuts…

 _2 months later_

Ash leapt off the branch as he followed Mankey over their improvised assault course swinging off another branch below and touching down on the ground with a roll. He'd made good time and kept up with the pace Mankey set, though Ash knew the nimble monkey Pokemon could leave him behind any day of the week it still felt great to know he was improving.

Training with Mankey was like nothing Ash had ever attempted before, he thought that it would be exhausting like it was running around playing with Ratatta but he hadn't considered the sheer variety of exercises and acrobatics Mankey would throw at him that seemed to come naturally to the creature. The dull ache in Ash's limbs and joints had unfortunately become totally natural at this point and he no longer felt the need to complain each time. Ash moved over to a clearing to take a rest, Mankey hopping along after him chattering away in apparent happiness and both flopped down onto their backs in pure relief.

In the last 2 months Ash had been bringing his fitness up to a level that satisfied his small training partner, apparently he wasn't ready for the Mankey school of fighting just yet. Now though, after his performance today and how much energy he still felt like he had it seemed like it might finally be time. He knew he could run circles around the Ash of 2 months ago and as small a time-frame as that seemed like he had really been put through a hell of a regime.

Deciding it was time to get back home he leapt to his feet, kicking up from his position on his back in one move. "Hey Mankey it's time for me to head off, what do you think of my performance today? Good right?".

The little fighter hopped up and down excitedly and nodded, then went into a fighting stance and started shadow-boxing.

Ash's grin grew wider, knowing what the Pokemon meant and held his fist out to be bumped. "I can't wait, I'll see you later Mankey. I hope you're ready for me next time!".

The Pokemon and human bumped fists and parted ways, Ash taking a direct route home as he was going to be cutting it close to his curfew. His mum had been acting a little strange over the last few months and Ash figured she had noticed some of his bruises from his early attempts at the assault courses, hopefully she wouldn't try to get him to open up about it again. He had told her a small lie and said it was just his standard adventures and had roped in Gary to be his alibi for him, the jerk demanded one of his collectibles for the help. That seemed to work at first but his mum was still paying a little too much attention.

As he came out of the tree line he saw the setting sun on the horizon, the hills of Pallet town basking in its ember glow. He smiled to himself in silent satisfaction, he knew that many young people in this town left to seek better fortunes elsewhere. Ash himself had the beginnings of a plan to battle his way through the Pokemon Gyms and challenge the Pokemon League after his 15th birthday, the age for starting trainers having been raised due to someone senior realising how bad it looked that 10 year old kids kept disappearing. The change was well received by parents, shockingly.

Bringing his attention back to the view he reaffirmed his love for this town and knew that he was going to leave, not because he was unsatisfied with it like many others but simply that his dreams were out there in the world and that he would always find time to return to his mum and the town that he grew up in.

Approaching his house from the rear he walked up to the backdoor and stepped inside.

"Mum, I'm back!"

 _6 months later_

Now 10 years old Ash twisted out of the way of a quick left jab from his opponent, stepping back and creating some space so he could maximise his height and reach advantage. His attacker was over 2 feet shorter than him but he learned from experience that didn't mean much when they were a Pokemon who literally embodied fighting. Mankey quickly approached launching fast jabs aimed at Ash's body before leaping up and bringing a heel kick down towards his skull which he braced against using both arms and leaving himself open for a follow up jab from his primate partner. He knew he'd feel that one in the morning, coughing as he fell to one knee he looked up and grinned at Mankey who relaxed his stance and hopped over to Ash to check him for injuries.

They had been at this particular spar for over half an hour and Ash was really feeling the impact of the little Pokemon's hits. Mankey regularly dominated Ash with his speed and strength but Ash knew he was forcing him to use more and more of his natural power each time. He figured that if Mankey stayed the same and he kept improving then it would be a much closer fight in another few months, unfortunately for Ash however, Mankey was improving all the time as well so he would have to settle for his steady improvement rather than eventual victory which was just fine with him.

Mankey had started off working on the proper fighting stance for a human, it was basically trial and error until Mankey was satisfied that Ash could utilise his weight correctly and wasn't off balance after throwing or receiving a punch. After that they had worked on punching technique, again Mankey didn't have five fingers or shoulders but they got there in the end, Mankey coaching Ash by being his target and moving Ash's arms and legs each time to get the right movements down. Mankey knew how to fight and knew what a punch should feel like, he just didn't know what a human should look like to throw the perfect punch, that's why it was mostly rinse and repeat until they achieved a good basic stance and technique.

Another facet of the training involved grappling and take-downs, Ash learned how to target a larger opponents joints to bring them down and then get them in a joint-lock to force submission or if it came to it, break their arm or leg. This was something that Ash had been very keen to learn due to him being a child, even with his coaching he still wasn't going to be able to muster the power to really damage a bigger target but if he could get an arm-bar going he definitely had the strength to inflict real damage. When he asked himself whether he would be willing to inflict that sort of damage Ash knew that the answer was 'Yes', he knew of people out there that wouldn't take no for an answer, the criminal organisation known as Team Rocket for one. If there was a threat to his life or the safety of his friends or family Ash would make that decision.

Ash could still remember the first solid hit he had landed, it was a counter to a high sweeping kick Mankey had launched from the air which Ash had blocked with one arm on pure instinct and with his right fist launched a fierce hook to send Mankey flying. While Mankey was certainly the superior physical fighter he still didn't weigh much and it didn't take much force to send him away, especially since he was in the air and couldn't absorb the impact. Mankey had tumbled away, immediately got up and leapt at Ash in a hug while chattering away happily, evidently proud of his best (and only) pupil. Ash had been ecstatic at his progress and internalised that feeling of success to be used to drive himself to even greater achievements.

The training had other more physical effects as well, Ash now looking much leaner and stood at a slightly above average 4' 6", he had really started to explode since his training had started and his hunger had grown right along with his body. His muscles were developing well, built for speed and practical application rather than great feats of strength though Ash's own bodyweight was no trouble to manipulate and he found he greatly enjoyed jumping and swinging around the tree tops with Mankey.

Groaning, Ash got to his feet. "I think I'm beat for now pal, you got me good there. You up for a little race to the forest edge?".

Mankey puffed his chest out in pride and grunted in approval.

"Alright furball, show me what you've got!" Ash finished with a grin, setting off in a sprint towards the tree line and leaving a shocked Mankey in his wake.

Half an hour later a cocky Mankey and a grumpy Ash emerged from the trees. Ash was covered in leaves and dirt.

"I know you used a quick chop to make that branch buckle Mankey, don't think I didn't see you." Ash complained, knowing Mankey didn't take the furball comment very well. He knew his mum wouldn't be too happy with how filthy he was but there wasn't really anything he could do about it now. He turned to the entirely too happy Pokemon next to him and considered introducing him to his mum, he would call Mankey his friend at this point, no longer just a Pokemon he saw in the forest. All that stopped him from making the introduction before was a caution that only occasionally reared its head in his otherwise rash and impulsive behaviour.

"Alright buddy, what do you think about meeting my mum? I think she will be alright with you, but I can't promise. What do you say?".

Mankey looked at Ash for a moment before nodding and hopped along to walk alongside him as they made their way back to his home.

"Hey Mum, I've brought a friend over." Ash called in, looking around the living room.

"In here honey!" A voice carried through from the kitchen.

"Come on pal, there will probably be something to eat as well." Ash said as he led the Pokemon further inside. Mankey looked around in curiosity, having never been in a house before.

Delia Ketchum was sitting at the kitchen table reading a book on home gardening, the smell of roast chicken and potatoes wafting about the room and eliciting rumbles from both Ash and Mankey. Her face lit up upon seeing Ash before her eyes widened slightly at seeing Mankey. "Ash you're filthy!" Delia scolded.

"Sorry mum, this is Mankey, he's a friend I made just over a year ago. Mankey, this is my mum." Ash made the introductions and he noticed Mankey looking a little apprehensive.

Taking a moment to look between the two a small knowing smile appeared on her lips. Schooling her features Delia stood up and went to crouch down in front of Mankey. "Hello Mankey, it's a pleasure to meet you, thank you for taking care of my son. I take it I have you to thank for his improved fitness and the occasional bruise?" She looked up at her son as she finished with a mild glare to which he had the decency to look guilty.

"Sorry I didn't tell you mum, for the first few months it was just exercise you know, climbing trees and stuff. But for a while now Mankey has been training me, I asked him to teach me how to fight. We've become really good friends and I trust him." Ash finished, hoping his mother wouldn't react badly. He knew she was suspicious of him and his growth but had never came out and demanded he tell her.

Delia was silent as she thought this through while Mankey seemed to sense Ash's discomfort and shrunk back behind his leg.

It was true she had noticed the occasional bruise despite Ash's attempts to hide them, he was only a child after all and wasn't all that cunning. They were easy enough to explain away by the standard rough and tumble she knew that he got up to on his own and occasionally with Gary and some of the other kids, she hadn't been particularly worried and his ever improving mood and obvious growth had put most of her anxiety to bed. He had also had a downright gluttonous appetite which she knew to be an indication of good health, people who weren't happy tended to be a bit self-destructive and not get proper nutrition or exercise.

Now though it was different, he was learning to fight with a Pokemon. There were reasons people use Pokemon to catch other Pokemon, they were innately stronger than humans, even this small Mankey would beat an untrained average man. This line of thought seemed a bit pointless however considering they had clearly been going at it for months and the odd bruise was the worst injury that Ash had gotten. Ash knowing how to fight didn't worry her, she'd seen some of the worst parts of people in her life and it honestly made her feel better knowing Ash could take care of himself and his friends. She also trusted Ash to be responsible with it, unlike Gary who was a bit of an arrogant brat and probably wouldn't mind showing it off. She was also very happy that Ash had eventually opened up to her, and knew that if she reacted well to this then the next time he would be all the more likely to come to her sooner. With that thought, she made her decision.

"I've known you were doing something different for a while now, your growth isn't exactly subtle and 10 year old children don't normally get this big. I am glad you've told me and while I would rather _**not**_ have you fighting with a Pokemon on a regular basis, the fact that the worst injuries you've had are bruises goes a long way to reassure me you are taking care. In the future I would like you to be able to tell me this sort of thing, I am your mother Ash, I know you probably don't realise but your safety and well-being are my priorities. If something had happened to you out there while training with Mankey I don't know what I would have done." Delia realised how scared she was of losing her son and brought him into a hug, tears threatening to fall as images of him lying in a forest somewhere all alone and unable to move came to her mind.

Ash had a small, tentative smile until his mother had started talking about his safety and pulled him into a hug. Had he really seen tears in his mother's eyes? He let his arms wrap around his mother's back and tried to reassure her with his presence, not trusting his voice after hearing the emotion from his mother and feeling a little bit shaky. It was true what she had said, Mankey could have gone overboard and broken something easily enough early on. Ash had trusted him but from an objective point of view it had been silly. Was he always this reckless? The last thing he wanted to do was bring his mother to tears by getting himself hurt or killed. He hadn't ever given it much thought before but perhaps it was time to start thinking things through a little bit more.

"I didn't realise mum, sorry for worrying you. I'll be more careful from now on, I promise."

"Thank you sweetie." Delia said, smothering a relieved sob and bringing her tears back under control.

They remained in their embrace for a moment longer before parting, and Delia crouched again and addressed Mankey. "I hope I can trust you to continue taking care of Ash for me?" In response the little white Pokemon raised its paws and gave a small noise in the affirmative. Smiling, Delia patted the Pokemon on the head and giggled as it closed its eyes and sighed.

"You've made a good friend here dear, take care of him." Delia said, as she turned back to check on the cooking food.

"You can count on it mum." Ash said as he held out his fist for Mankey to bump, their friendship solidified as they shared a determined nod.

* * *

A/N

So, couple of things. Mankey's height is going to be a little taller than what it says on the wiki, probably sitting at around 2-2 and a half foot. First few chapters are going to be going through Ash's earlier years where he gets some life lessons and develops a bond with Mankey, there will be a few time skips and not all that much action while we're still in Pallet Town. It's going to be focusing on the characters for now, rather than the overarching plot, battles or bad guys.


	2. Chapter 2

_2 and a half years later_

It was a quiet night in Pallet town. Its citizens asleep in their beds, resting for the necessary work in the fields and forests that the morning would bring. The pale light of the moon illuminated a hooded figure making his way steadily through the dirt paths astride a Dodrio, its three heads simultaneously scouting every direction for danger. The unusual mount was moving quietly but with a clear haste that betrayed a desire to be out of the open and into the shadows as soon as possible, their target was the tree line on the far side of the town.

Their destination reached, the man dismounted, returned his Pokemon and with one last glance around made his way into the darkness of the forest…

Why was it always the leg? What had the leg done to deserve this? Ash didn't know. All Ash knew was that once again, there was a beautiful, massive bruise on his right thigh that had been so generously donated by his sparring partner. The difference in height between said partner and him was now extreme, so extreme in fact that the only real target Mankey could go for with any ease was one of his legs, a fact which Mankey was only too happy to remind Ash of every _single_ chance he got. Truthfully it wasn't Mankey's fault, Ash had been stubborn and didn't want to see what was right in front of him. Sparring between Mankey and himself was no longer a viable method of training, punching the little monkey was basically impossible due to his height and Mankey was slowly turning his legs into aching lead weights. He hoped Mankey understood when he broke the bad news to him.

Flopping his unresponsive right leg out of the bed and onto the floor Ash limped along to the bathroom and took a look in the mirror. He had grown into a fine young man and now stood at 5' 4", his body had continued to fill out along with his height and he could claim to have genuine muscle mass and definition now instead of just being lean and wiry. A small scar through his right eyebrow was visible and he thought back to the unfortunate accident with a sigh.

Before his height had become such an issue to their compatibility, one of their spars had grown intensely heated and Mankey had responded to a clean hit from Ash without his usual control and restraint. The hit had thrown Ash into a tree trunk at a very unfortunate angle, if he had flown back-first it wouldn't have been much of an issue but as it happened his face had connected in a bad way with the rough bark and gouged a cut down his forehead, stopping just above his eye. Blood had filled his vision and he had become light headed, panic taking him until Mankey was beside him to help him steady himself. He could still vividly recall the concern and guilt in the Pokemon's eyes and it had taken him over a week to reassure the creature that there was no fault in what happened, just an injury from a spar. His mother, on the other hand was a much harder sell and once her initial panic at the amount of blood had subsided, she insisted on a two week break from sparring and finding somewhere much more open, on top of that no attacks to the head either. Ash had no choice but to agree, knowing that she was right and that realistically it was lucky it had taken this long for a potentially life changing injury being sustained.

He wouldn't ever tell his mother but he kind of liked the scar, it didn't feel like an injury but more of a memento of one of the best fights he and Mankey had ever had, at least up until the incident. He told Mankey what he thought and he knew the Pokemon appreciated it, Ash suspected it wasn't until this that Mankey had truly stopped feeling sorry and allowed himself to get over what had happened. He was only too happy to accommodate the more open sparring area and no attacks to the head. Funnily enough it wasn't long after that when Mankey stopped really being able to reach Ash's head at all, at least not without _serious_ effort.

Ash showered and got dressed then went down stairs, noticing his mother wasn't up yet he decided to make breakfast for them. Checking the fridge and cupboards he decided on sausages and scrambled eggs with buttered bread (he wasn't a fan of toast). As he sat down to eat his mother came down with a smile, he said good morning and she kissed him on the head as she passed to pick up her food. They enjoyed a pleasant breakfast together and Ash told his mother about his leg and the punishment it was sustaining. She gently scolded him for not stopping sooner but agreed that it was a good idea to stop sparring if the damage was being focused on one area. She suggested taking Mankey to visit Professor Oak's farm to see if any of the Pokemon there were interested in battling with him.

Ash paused at this very obvious solution that was dropped in his lap and questioned his intelligence briefly before thanking his mother. He washed his dishes and pecked her cheek goodbye, and headed out to meet up with Mankey. Ash figured Mankey would probably be happy enough to hang out with some other Pokemon, there had to be at least one fighting type there that he could get some good practice in with. That just left the problem of him having no one to practice with, but perhaps that was a good thing. He had to admit to himself he was neglecting other parts of his life, namely his education and social life. He hadn't hung out with Gary in months and god knows the last time he saw the other guys. He was due to start school in a few months as well and he planned on taking the vocational Pokemon Trainer modules which would be extra work on top. Originally he intended on using these months to do some early studying but training had been front and centre. Well not any more Ash decided, he had a suspicion this news would be well received by his mother too.

Ash arrived at the usual clearing that had been expanded pretty significantly, Mankey had demonstrated his unrestrained power and made short work of the trees to make the extra space. Walking to the centre Ash immediately felt like he was being watched, and it wasn't the feeling he usually got from Mankey stalking him, he glanced around and spotted the source of the feeling. Sitting down leaning against a tree was a man in a black cloak, his posture was relaxed but he had a steady gaze trained on Ash who noticed that there was a pretty large sack next to him. The man had short black hair with flecks of grey messily brushed to the side with a short grey beard and moustache. His hands were hidden under his cloak which was a good reason to be cautious Ash decided.

"Hey kid, wonderful day isn't it?" The stranger remarked, as though they were passing each other in the street.

"It is...I know most people in this town, but I don't think I've seen you before. Are you new?" Ash asked, slightly off-balance from the conversational tone of the man.

"I am, just passing through on business you see. My Pokemon and I are on a bit of a journey but we ran into some troublesome people and now we are laying low in this lovely forest." The stranger seemed happy enough to talk about himself, his eyes never leaving Ash but his relaxed posture showed no sign of changing.

Ash considered the stranger's words, his immediate concern was that the troublesome people could be a problem for the town and by extension his mother and friends. The mention of Pokemon also had Ash intensely curious, if he was a traveller then there was a chance to see some exotic Pokemon. He loved Pidgey and Ratatta but he'd never turn down a chance to see others that he'd only read about in books.

"These troublesome people, are they dangerous?" Ash asked, his tone betraying the concern he held for the town.

"Oh no, I wouldn't worry yourself about them. They're only interested in me. Now correct me if I'm wrong kid but I noticed your eyes light up at the mention of my Pokemon, you wouldn't happen to be interested would you?" The stranger finished, his mouth twisting into an amused smile.

Ash was still cautious, but could find no reason to be outright wary. Deciding to step a little closer and relax his posture he responded, "I'm glad to hear they won't trouble the town. We don't get many visitors here and it'd be a shame for the first one in a while to bring a storm with him." Ash smirked and continued, "You're right about my interest. I love Pokemon, I've spent most of my free time with them for the past 5 years. If you have any Pokemon I'd love to meet them."

The stranger noticed how excited the boy was getting as he talked about Pokemon and smiled, a hint of wistful nostalgia colouring his features. "I don't see a problem with that, come on out Dodrio." In a flash of light the large three headed bird materialised with a loud 'Squawk' and Ash stepped back in awe and wonder.

"This is incredible, its huge, way above average! I've met a Doduo before one time, Professor Oak was looking after one for a trainer but to see the difference right in front of my eyes is amazing. Dodrio can run really fast right?" Ash finished, taking a breath as his eyes took in every detail of the giant bird which was preening under his attention. As tall as Ash had become the bird still towered over him, he noticed one of its heads was watching him in curiosity while the others were glancing about the place.

"This guy here has been with me for a long time, all the way back since he was a Doduo, he was fast then but now he is something else. I've ridden on him at about 70% of his max speed and that was only in an emergency, I doubt there's a man alive who could handle a Dodrio at their best." The man spoke with clear pride and fondness in his voice, the type that only comes from years of shared experiences together.

Ash's imagination leapt into action as visions of daring escapes and thrilling chases filled his mind, his awe of the mighty bird returning even stronger. It was true that his goal was to challenge the Pokemon League but he would admit he had always fantasised about going on a real adventure outside of these forests in the wide world where daring feats and stunning escapades were commonplace. Perhaps one day that would come to pass.

The stranger was greatly enjoying the boy's admiration but figured he'd better snap him out of his reverie or they'd be there all day. "What's your name kid?".

"Oh! I'm Ash, Ash Ketchum. Sorry about that. What's your name?" A flustered Ash asked as he managed to tear his gaze away from the Dodrio who decided to wonder around the clearing.

"Well it's good to meet you Ash. You can call me Kelsier, or Kel for short." He said with an easy smile from his seat, he had brought his hands out when he released Dodrio but otherwise was in the same position. "So Ash, what brings you into the forest today?".

"I'm here to do some training, though I'll probably keep it light today. I got a bit of a beating yesterday." Ash said while rubbing the back of his head, his earlier caution all but gone after his naked admiration.

It was only then that Kelsier noticed the physique of the boy, clearly he was not one to sit on his backside all day. He'd put the kid at about 14 or 15, and he didn't miss the scar above his eye either. This kid had been in a brawl or three, no doubt about that.

"Well don't let me stop you, I'll refrain from showing you any other Pokemon, they are a little tired at the moment. But maybe tomorrow, I'll probably still be around here somewhere."

"Alright, it was really great to meet you and your Dodrio, I'll be here tomorrow too if you are still around. I'd really like to meet your other Pokemon!" Ash said, his excitement making him act his age.

Kelsier got to his feet and with a smirk and a nod wandered off, his Dodrio following after him.

Ash watched him go and waited there in the clearing for a few minutes before saying, "So furball, you going to stay up there all day?". Immediately a little while ball of fur with four limbs attached dropped onto Ash's shoulders and started messing with his hair.

"Ouch! Hey, it's a term of endearment!" Ash yelped as Mankey yanked his hair with playful force. The primate Pokemon had taken to riding on Ash's shoulders as he had gotten taller. Mankey had grown too but no where near as fast as Ash had, the fighting Pokemon's major growth spurt wouldn't happen until evolution occurred and who knows when that would be. As it stood now there was about a 3 foot difference between the two at their full height.

Ash laughed as Mankey flipped off his shoulders using his head as leverage, landing in front of him and turned to face the direction Kelsier had left in. Ash noticed the direction, "You didn't want him to see you?" he asked, interested in the Pokemon's instinctive reaction to the traveller.

Mankey stared for a moment longer before turning to Ash and scratching his head while shaking it.

Ash sighed. "Not good or bad huh? Figures." Well at least Mankey wasn't totally against him, that meant he'd come back tomorrow to try and catch a glimpse of more exotic Pokemon! "One thing to keep in mind is that this guy is a trainer, if he sees you he might try and catch you. Now I don't know a thing about this guy and I don't want you to end with someone who isn't going to take care of you so don't show yourself to him OK?"

Mankey gave Ash a determined stare and nodded seriously which Ash returned and then decided to lighten the mood.

"Hey pal take a look at this, it's from yesterday." Ash lifted his trousers to show the bruise and Mankey rubbed the back of his head in an eerily Ash-like gesture and a smile on his face. "Yeah laugh it up little guy, my poor legs aren't going to last much longer."

As Ash sat there chatting with Mankey he tried to think of the best way to break the news of no more sparring to his friend but no matter how he sliced it, the best course seemed to be just being upfront.

"Mankey, listen pal, I don't think its a good idea to keep sparring. I joked about it but my legs really aren't up to taking any more punishment. That doesn't mean I don't _want_ to spar, but its just the way it is." Ash finished, he put a hand on Mankey's back and offered an apologetic smile.

Mankey made a dejected mumbling noise but nodded, eyes looking down to the ground. Ash knew the news about Professor Oak would help lighten his mood so he carried on.

"Having said that, mum had a great idea. Do you remember Professor Oak? I introduced you to him a little while after mum and he runs a lab that has a ranch on the other side of town. Its where he looks after Pokemon from other trainers who don't have space for them. Well, we're going to ask him if there are any Pokemon there that would like to spar with you, and if there are then you are sorted for sparring partners. What do you think?" Ash looked expectantly at Mankey, hoping for some excitement but it didn't seem to do the trick. And suddenly Ash realised what might be keeping his friend down in the dumps.

"Hey pal, look here." Ash held out his fist, "You and me are still going to train together, alright? I just don't want you to get rusty without me to spar with. I'll need to spend time to do work for school and stuff but we'll still hang out. I promise." Ash finished and grinned as the spark returned to Mankey's eyes and bumped his fist to Ash's. "Alright pal, what do you say we play 'Hand Stand Survival' and see if you can beat your high score, my legs are a bit screwy but my arms are tip-top!" Ash finished, jumping to his feet and getting onto his hands in a perfectly controlled hand stand.

Mankey hopped about happily and nodded, clambering up Ash's rigid form and doing his own hand stand on Ash's feet.

"Alright, usual rules. I win if you fall off three times and you win if you last 5 minutes or I stumble and fall, and remember it counts as falling off even if you manage to grab onto my legs on the way down and hang on."

Mankey grunted in acceptance and they were off, Ash doing everything he could from wild twirls to hand stand jumps, barely keeping his balance at times but never quite falling. Mankey had never managed to win but he was getting close. He was getting better at predicting Ash's jerky movements and adjusting his balance and body position. Finally the 5 minutes were over and Mankey leapt off from Ash's feet in gleeful triumph, he had successfully weathered Ash's final Hail Mary attempt to dislodge him by pushing off of Ash's feet and managing to land on the other one as Ash's violent movement ended.

Ash allowed himself to fall down stomach first, taking the impact with his feet and turned to find the still celebrating Mankey dancing around in circles, entirely too happy with himself in Ash's honest opinion and yet, he couldn't help but laugh all the same. They spent the remainder of their time together playing around and Ash telling Mankey about some of the Pokemon at the Oak Ranch.

Unseen by the happy friends Kelsier watched the two, impressed at the display of acrobatics, strength and skill they had put on as well as the way Mankey had been predicting Ash's movements. "This kid is going to be something special, that's for sure." He muttered to himself with a chuckle as he turned and made his way deeper into the forest.-

The next morning Ash was enjoying breakfast with his mother when there was a knock at the door. "Expecting anyone?" He asked but when his mother shook her head he frowned, it was too early for anyone to be dropping by for a visit. He stood and went to answer the door, finding an extremely attractive young woman dressed in a blue officers shirt/skirt combo and blue spiky hair.

"Good morning sir, my name is Jr. Officer Jenny. Can I ask you a few questions in regards to a suspect we believe to have passed through this town?" She asked, her tone and face showing she meant business, the image only ruined by the clipboard in her hands which she was clearly using as a reference for what to say.

"Wow..." Ash managed to get out, still paying attention to what the woman looked like rather than the noises coming out of her mouth or what was in her hands. "I mean, uh, yes you can. Please go ahead." He managed to recover, only going slightly red in embarrassment.

"Thank you." She didn't acknowledge his verbal lapse but the slight tint to her cheeks softened her business-like demeanour somewhat. "Have you noticed any strangers entering the town in the last day?"

"No, I haven't. We don't get many visitors here so they tend to stick out." Ash answered, his brain rapidly arriving at a conclusion he hadn't become conscious of yet.

"Alright. Have you noticed a Pokemon called Dodrio anywhere around here? They are not native to the area and we believe one is owned by the suspect." Jenny continued, glancing at her clipboard and missing the moment Ash realised just _who_ the police's suspect was.

" _Troublesome People" my bruised thigh, that sneaky bastard lied to me. Wait...did he lie? He just said he was on the run from troublesome people and they weren't any danger to the town. That **sneaky bastard,** he didn't even lie to me and still deceived me. We are going to have words...but maybe I should check to see if he's dangerous, it wouldn't be suspicious to ask questions would it?_

"No, can't say I've seen that Pokemon, three heads right? Runs fast?" Ash confirmed and Jenny nodded, "Yeah none of those. So is this guy dangerous then? Wouldn't want to run into one of those things if I could help it." Ash said, hoping his voice wasn't giving him away. Luckily it seemed Jenny was happy to help.

"He hasn't hurt anyone yet, but he has stolen a lot of valuable things so if you do sight him please immediately call the police. We don't have an officer stationed in this town but we can get people here pretty fast." Jenny was running through her clipboard making sure she had asked what she needed and nodded to herself. "Well, that is all for my questions. Please remain vigilant and contact us if anything catches your attention. Thank you for your time."

"No problem at all, thank you for...coming...here to talk..." Ash finished, internally cringing at his awful attempt at human contact. He really had been spending too much time training. To his shock Jenny actually giggled.

"To tell you the truth I'm really new to this, I'm working under my aunt in Viridian City and I've only been on the force for a couple of months." And then as if realising that she had dropped all pretence of being a professional promptly marched away, hiding her embarrassment from view.

Ash didn't manage to respond but had a happy smile on his face and managed a wave as Jenny mounted her cycle and drove off. And then he remembered Kelsier and his good mood vanished as he made his way back to the kitchen.

"Who was at the door sweetie?" His mother asked.

"Officer Jenny, said there was a suspect they believe may have passed through here who stole some stuff. He has a Dodrio and she asked us to report it if we see anything. They said he hasn't hurt anyone so he might not be dangerous but best to stay away." Ash explained absently, his thoughts on Kelsier and how he was going to confront him.

"Oh dear, I haven't noticed anyone around. I'll give professor Oak a call later, do you want me to mention to him about Mankey as well or will you go there in person?"

"Mmm? Oh yeah, mention it to him and if you can ask him if he has any fighting Pokemon he thinks would be a good match. Thanks Mum." Ash said as he got up and kissed his mother on the head before heading out to the forest. He had a thief to confront.

* * *

A/N

The character introduced in this chapter is a nod to the wonderful Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. Check it out if you enjoy fantasy fiction.


	3. Chapter 3

Ash arrived at the clearing a little while later, determined to get answers from Kelsier. He knew that Jenny wouldn't be lying and that the pieces fit too perfectly for there to be any doubt, but there was a small, perhaps childish piece of Ash's mind that so wanted the man who had inspired such awe and wonder to be innocent. He kept that part of his mind far away from his conscious thoughts, there was no place for it right now.

"Kelsier?" Ash called out, figuring there was no need for the subtle approach.

"Good to see you Ash, you're looking a little bit scary there, everything alright?" Kelsier said, stepping out from the opposite side of the clearing. He knew what had probably happened since yesterday and he found it saddened him to know that the awe and inspiration he had seen the previous morning probably wouldn't make another appearance.

"No Kelsier, it's not. I'd really like it if you were honest with me from here on out," Ash said seriously. Kelsier looked at Ash for a moment before nodding. "Are you a thief?"

Kelsier sighed before taking a deep breath, "Yeah Ash, I'm a thief. Not for money or riches, I just like the challenge, and occasionally to stick it to arrogant, self-centred politicians and nobility."

Ash nodded, grateful that Kelsier wasn't treating him like a kid and was being, hopefully, honest with him. "So you don't hurt people?"

"No, at least not much, I've been in my fair share of scuffles and my Pokemon fight other people's Pokemon but no, the only lasting damage done is what I take. I'm not going to pretend what I do is right Ash, but I made a decision to hit back at the people I think deserve it in my own way. Whether you can understand that or not, I don't know." Kelsier wasn't entirely sure why he was spilling hit guts to this kid, maybe he didn't want to be hated by the first person to look at him with awe in a long time. Maybe he was just certain he could escape if it came to it, Dodrio was doing well and they could easily travel for half a day or so.

Ash thought about what he was being told, he didn't know much about politics or nobility and the closest thing to arrogant and self-centred was Pallet's very own Gary Oak. Ash considered what Gary would be like a few years down the line if he carried on with his head up his arse and found that he wouldn't hold it against someone pushing back so to speak, metaphorically of course. He didn't think words should be met with violence and wouldn't agree with someone who was going around beating people up because they were rude.

"I think I can understand your point of view, a little bit at least. But for all I know this is just some story so I don't turn you in." Ash said, not softening his voice even after thinking things through.

Kelsier smirked at this, "Now Ash, you know I have Dodrio, do you think you could keep me here if I decided to run?"

Ash smiled and held his hands up, "No, I guess not. I don't even know what other Pokemon you have either. I think if it was just you though..." Ash finished, letting the question trail off and the implication hang in the air.

Kelsier paused at this, true Ash was well built but Kelsier still had him beaten in size. Add to that the experience of brawling for the better part of 10 years and you had a pretty competent fighter. Pokemon battles had largely replaced small and large scale conflicts so physical fighting had fallen out of popularity, something Kelsier was all too happy to take advantage of. But then Kelsier remembered the previous evening and the Mankey, Ash had mentioned training and being injured, could it be possible he was being trained by a fighting type Pokemon? And how long for? Ash had said he had spent the last 5 years around Pokemon, 5 years of training with a fighting type would have to make you pretty damn lethal.

"You know, I think it'd be closer than I'd like to admit. You look powerful for a 14 year old, but a kid is still a kid, I've got real world experience and that is always something I can rely on."

Ash's grin turned positively devilish, "Try 12 and a half."

Kelsier blinked, "Excuse me?"

 _He couldn't really be 12…Could he?_

Kelsier's thoughts were confirmed when Ash's grin somehow stretched wider and said "Hi, my name is Ash Ketchum and I am 12 years old."

Kelsier just stared, and then stared a bit more and then blinked, "What the _hell_ have you been eating kid?!" He asked in utter disbelief. Then a smile cracked and he started laughing, "You know what? Don't answer, I'm not sure I'd believe you."

Ash joined him in laughing, glad that the tension from earlier was draining from the situation.

"I believe you Kel, I won't turn you in. But I don't want to lie to the Police, I didn't tell Officer Jenny when she came knocking earlier because I wanted to hear it from you directly but if she comes again, I'm going to say I saw someone entering the forest." Ash finished, a grim but compassionate look on his face, he hoped that Kelsier would understand his position.

"I understand kid, its a generous thing you're doing and I don't mean to cause any trouble for you and your town. I'm planning on leaving real soon, my Pokemon are still a little worn out but they'll be alright tomorrow." And Kelsier really did understand, he didn't hold it against Ash at all, he was doing right by his own code and that was the way Kelsier thought you should live.

"Alright, if you need food or medicine I can probably swipe some from Oak's lab. He knows I hang out in the forest so I can tell him its for a wild Pokemon. You're out of luck if its anything else though." He realised he wanted to help Kelsier, because although he didn't agree with everything he did, he understood where he was coming from and he really didn't think he was a bad guy.

"Thanks kid but I'm all set, one thing you learn in this line of work is always have supplies prepared before a job. My team is healthy, just a bit tired, not to sound like I'm bragging but I take real good care of my friends." Kelsier smirked.

"I'm happy to hear that, I was a little worried they were all barely hanging in there." Ash smiled back as a comfortable silence descended between them.

"So what did you think of Jenny?" Kelsier asked after taking a seat and leaning against a tree.

"W-What?"

"Jenny, Officer Jenny from Viridian City, she's about my age but she's a total fox. You said she came to visit you right? We go way back, she's been chasing me for years." Kelsier seemed to get momentarily lost in memories until Ash started speaking and he snapped out of it.

"Actually...Her niece was the one that came calling, apparently she has only been on the force for a few months and I'd guess she was a few years older than me." Ash replied hesitantly, unsure where this was going.

"Get out of here! I can't believe my Jenny didn't come herself. Guess I don't have the attraction I used to, huh?" He asked with a loud laugh, "So, what did you think of her, if she's anything like the others then she'll be a knockout when she's older."

"...She was pretty I guess." Ash was painfully aware of the awkward moments from that particular conversation and wasn't keen on revisiting the memory.

"Ohoho what happened? You've clammed up like a Shellder. I bet you made a right prat of yourself didn't you?" Kelsier teased, clearly enjoying himself far too much.

"No! Not...Yeah sort of. When I opened the door I just stood there staring at her, I barely even registered what she was saying…And then even worse when she was leaving I...I actually thanked her for coming to talk to me!" Ash wailed with his head in his hands and his face on fire. It wasn't helped by the roaring laughter from Kelsier.

After calming down Kelsier said, "Ash you are brilliant, confronting a known thief with powerful Pokemon? No problem at all. Lying to the Police? Any day of the week. Training with a _Fighting_ Pokemon _?_ Sign me up." Ash's eyes widened at this but Kelsier continued, "But put a pretty girl in front of you and you're about as useful as a Magikarp on deck. And yes I figured that your pal Mankey trained you." He hadn't really _figured_ so much as reached a conclusion and took a gamble, one that appeared to have paid off.

"Well...damn. Alright pal you might as well come on down." And on command Mankey dropped down onto Ash's shoulders causing Kelsier to bash his head into the tree in shock, which Ash took a fair amount of pleasure in.

"Bloody hell I had no idea he was there!" Kelsier shouted while rubbing his head. That would definitely leave a bump.

"Yeah we sort of did stealth training." Ash admitted, fondly remembering the early days of their friendship, Mankey had massively improved from then and could trail most anything without notice, except Ash of course. They just knew each other too well at this point.

"Yeah alright fine, nothing surprises me at this point. So have you caught it yet?" Kelsier asked and immediately realised his mistake as Ash took a defensive stance and jumped back a few paces. Mankey growled threateningly and tensed its body, ready to dodge, or attack.

"Easy Ash, it was just a question. I'm not interested in breaking you two up, I'm not sure I'd survive the attempt honestly. That little guy looks tougher than a lot of trained Pokemon I've gone up against." Kelsier held his hands up and Ash relaxed which seemed to have a knock on effect on Mankey.

"...Sorry, we've talked a bit about this. Mankey wants to be my Pokemon, but obviously age restrictions so if he were to be caught I'd do everything I could to make sure it was by someone who'd be good to him." Ash looked at Kelsier with determined eyes and Kelsier could see that when he said 'Everything' he could he meant _Everything_.

Kelsier smiled, a man that would go to bat for his friends even against what was supposed to be 'Right' was a man you could trust. "I understand kid, in your position I'd do exactly the same." He thought for a moment before an idea struck him and he reached into his bag and pulled out a Poke Ball, "How would you like to catch your very first Pokemon Ash? Consider it a thank you from me to you." He clicked the button to show it was empty then closed it and rolled the ball toward Ash who watched it with wide eyes.

Ash was in shock, he'd begged Professor Oak to give him a Poke Ball but he always refused, saying that he could lose his right to be a regional authority, even though he understood Ash's situation. But here was the answer, and he knew without a second thought that this was something he was willing to do to safeguard Mankey, to hell with the rules.

"Hey pal, what do you think?" Like he had to ask, Mankey was off his shoulders jumping up and down excitedly before he'd even finished speaking.

Ash bent down to pick up the empty Poke Ball and inspected it, he didn't know what he was looking for but it was the first time he had held one unsupervised. Then sitting down he looked to Mankey and held his fist out for Mankey to bump, immediately the gesture was returned and they shared a slow nod. They were ready. Ash let Mankey tap the ball himself. After he was drawn in, the ball immediately clicked to show a willing capture. Ash wasn't prepared for the emotions that broke then, the relief that Mankey was safe, the happiness that he had caught his first Pokemon, the even greater happiness that _Mankey_ was his first Pokemon. He released his Mankey and clutched him to his chest, letting the tears fall and the joy spread to his Pokemon. He knew Mankey was feeling the same thing, their time together giving them a real bond of friendship and understanding. He was officially a Pokemon Trainer, albeit technically illegal.

As the tears and laughter died down Mankey and his trainer settled down and turned back to Kelsier who was watching the spectacle with a gentle smile. "Thank you Kelsier, this...this means so much to us. Thank you so much!" Ash said, now willing to trust Kelsier and approaching him for the first time, he grasped his hand and shook it repeatedly.

Kelsier, for his part was already affected by the raw emotion of the capture and couldn't help but laugh at the young man's response. "No problem Ash, you deserve it."

They spent a few more hours talking together as friends, the suspicion and tension a thing of the past. Ash met some of Kelsier's other Pokemon and was as awed and inspired as before which Kelsier was all too happy to bask in once again. Kelsier shared some of his stories and feats of thievery with Ash realising he had actually heard about a few of them through local gossip.

Kelsier also took the opportunity to give some pointers to Ash on romance, greatly enjoying Ash's obvious discomfort throughout.

"Honestly Ash you've already got all you need to be considered attractive, you've got confidence that's backed up by competence, you march to the beat of you're own drum and you're physically fit." Ash looked thoughtful for a moment, seeing the sense in what Kelsier was saying before he continued, "You can do other stuff to enhance what you've already got but you don't need to worry about that, you just need to remember that girls are exactly the same as boys. They get nervous, they have crushes and sometimes they just won't be interested no matter what. The best you can do is demonstrate your interest through a bit of teasing and flirting and make a decision from there. If it works it works."

Ash nodded. It made sense to him to see girls as normal people rather than people to impress or get nervous over. "You say some surprisingly good things sometimes Kelsier, you know that?"

"Alright smart arse, try not to implode the next time you see Jenny alright?"

"I'll do my best Kel." They both laughed, enjoying the comfortable rapport, but like all good things they knew it had to come to an end.

"I'm really glad to have met you Kelsier, I'll come by tomorrow to hopefully see you off but I'll understand if you can't wait for me. Take care of yourself OK? And thank you again, really." Ash said, his emotions coming through as they shook hands once again.

Mankey for his part approached Kelsier and held his fist out, repeating the gesture Ash had taught him. Kelsier bent down and touched his fist to Mankey's with a smile then held it out to Ash as well.

Ash nodded and bumped Kelsier's fist, hoping that they would run into each other again some day down the path.

"Take care of yourself Ash, you've got a long road ahead but I believe that the path you choose will be the right one. Stick by your friends, break a lot of hearts and become real famous so I get to read about you in all the papers, deal?" Kelsier asked with a smirk.

Ash smirked right back, he really liked the idea of living up to Kelsier's expectations. Maybe not so much the breaking hearts thing though...Oh well, a thought for later.

"Deal!"

Ash introduced Mankey to his mother that night, firmly believing that he could trust her with this and asked her not to tell anyone else about it. He was glad to have her firmly on his side and knew that she wouldn't go back on her word, he also learned that she had talked to Professor Oak about Mankey's sparring and found out that there were a few fighting types who would make excellent partners for Mankey.

Delia gave Mankey a warm welcome once again as he was now Ash's Pokemon though they all agreed that Mankey wouldn't stay at the house all the time and Ash didn't want him to be cooped up in his Poke Ball either. Mankey was overjoyed to spend the night with Ash and slept on top of his wardrobe where Ash had placed some blankets which Mankey seemed to appreciate. As Ash and his Mankey drifted off to sleep, a certain thief was busy preparing himself for the next stretch of his journey.

The rising moon saw the man known as Kelsier prepare to depart, sparing one more glance in the direction Ash had left from. It had only been a short time but Kelsier had seen something special in Ash, he saw how the boy interacted with his Pokemon and the way he had treated Kelsier's own crimes left no doubt in his mind he would grow into a great man. Kelsier just had to make sure to survive long enough to see it.

"Till next time, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town."

And with that Kelsier mounted Dodrio and they stole away into the night, never to visit the quiet little town again.

Breakfast with Mankey was a new experience for all involved, the fighting Pokemon perched himself on Ash's shoulder as he munched on the fruit Delia had provided, especially enjoying the bananas. Delia entertained herself by chucking grapes for Mankey to catch and Ash had to deal with the occasional morsel of food going missing from his fork. All in all, everyone had a good time. When there was another knock on the door Ash paused briefly, taking a deep breath before getting up to answer, gently waving Mankey down so he would stay out of sight.

"Good morning Officer Jenny." Ash said, a smile on his face and a small amount of dread building as he prepared to tell the Police about Kelsier. He wished he could confirm that Kelsier was already gone but something told him he would have got an early start.

"Oh, hello again. I don't believe I caught your name last time, my apologies." Jenny replied, still clutching her clipboard.

"Not a problem, my name is Ash Ketchum. I was actually hoping to see you again." Ash made sure to put a bit of playfulness in his voice as he said the last part, his heart beating a little faster as he tried to incorporate Kelsier's advice.

Jenny stared for a moment before answering "R-Right, well here I am. How can I help?"

"Well it's me that can help actually, you see I saw a strange man wearing a black cloak and hood hanging about the edge of the forest this morning. There was no Dodrio but I certainly haven't seen such a shady character before."

Jenny seemed to deflate momentarily before comprehending what Ash was saying, "How long ago did you see him? What part of the forest? Was he carrying any bags?" Jenny questioned, rattling them off from her clipboard.

Ash answered as best he could, adding relevant details like the description of Kelsier's bag and where he would usually enter the forest from.

"This is very helpful, thank you so much for the information. I'll get this back to my aunt as soon as possible. She's actually very interested in this case but she couldn't get away from some business that sprang up back in Viridian City. It's so strange, she almost never shows interest in a particular case." Jenny chatted away, but before she could realise how familiar she was becoming Ash responded.

"No problem at all Officer, you know I'd really like to hear more about Viridian City, if you're ever in Pallet Town again perhaps we could meet up?" This felt far more nerve racking than it should, Ash was fully aware that it should not feel this weird but that didn't seem to be stopping the feeling at all. Why hadn't she responded yet?

"Uhm, w-well I suppose that wouldn't be a problem, I don't know when I'll be back here though..." Jenny managed to utter out in a small voice, clutching her clipboard tightly to her chest.

Ash noticed these reactions and let out an internal sigh of relief. That had gone much better than he thought, even if nothing ended up coming of it. Outwardly he smiled and said "I'll look forward to seeing you some time then, and good luck with the investigation. Perhaps you can tell me about it when you catch your suspect."

Jenny nodded and turned to leave but after a few steps turned back around half-way and said "...Call me Jessica next time we meet, Ash." And with a blush she hurried back to her bike and without a second glance drove off.

Ash smiled as he watched her before turning his gaze skyward marvelling at the advice Kelsier gave and hoping that he was safely away from Pallet Town. He'd be going to check shortly just to be sure but he was pretty sure he knew what he'd find.

"Well look who became mister Casanova. My son, the heart throb!" Delia cooed causing Ash to jump in shock and turn to find his mother standing behind the door with a smug grin on her face. "Ash she must be at least 16, I know you look older than you are but sweetie you're too young." She finished with a frown.

Ash calmed down from the shock and controlled his embarrassment before answering, "I know mum, I'll tell her the next time I see her. I just didn't want to regret anything. I think she's pretty."

"Oh my baby is so mature!" Delia squealed and hugged her son, Mankey joined in and jumped up and down in excitement too though he didn't really know what the occasion was.

* * *

A/N

Another time skip at the start of the next chapter to just before school, after that there will probably be rapid jumps through the two years of school till Ash eventually leaves Pallet Town.


	4. Chapter 4

_4 months later_

Ash stretched out his arms and legs in a desperate attempt to shake off the veil of boredom that had settled over him. He was sat at this desk in his room revising the terrain that you would be likely to find on the outskirts of cerulean city and the essential gear and apparel to travel through the area. He'd been going through parts of the Geography and Travel curriculum in preparation for school starting in 3 days time. His work done, he closed his books and piled them up to the side, taking a moment to look at the peaceful town out of the window and letting it fill him with the warm sense of contentment it always did.

Standing up and stretching he went into the bathroom and splashed some cold water over his face to wake himself up. He'd grown another couple of inches over the last few months and was now _finally_ the same height as his mother at 5' 6", a milestone he had been looking forward to for a long time.

Now 13 years old Ash was finally ready to start school which would last for 2 years and would leave him perfectly placed to get his trainer license and head out on his journey. He smiled at his reflection as he thought about school, he'd managed to reconnect with some of the people his age over the last few months and was looking forward to spending more time with them. The only other person he knew planning to leave Pallet Town straight away after school was Gary who had the same dream as Ash.

Gary had always had the desire to be the best and since Ash was the only one who had the same dream as him the competitiveness between the two had always been fierce. That wasn't to say Gary felt he had to beat Ash at _everything_ , if there was something Ash was good at that Gary wasn't interested in then he wouldn't bother. When Gary was interested though, he was loathe to let Ash get the better of him.

Ash had introduced Gary to Mankey a few months after he started training with him and had even offered to let Gary train with them on a few occasions. Gary had been interested, seeing the sense in being physically fit for his journey around the world and had taken up Ash's offer. It didn't take long for Gary to decide to train on his own when he discovered how much of a slave driver Mankey was and how much enthusiasm Ash seemed to pour into his activities. Deciding that Ash was insane to go along with the little fighting Pokemon, Gary opted to work out according to what he deemed a more 'Human Oriented' routine. Gary was still becoming pretty fit for a 13 year old but had to admit to himself that the hard work Ash was putting in would mean Ash had the edge over him physically. Not that he'd ever say that to Ash of course.

Ash sometimes opted to train with Gary in his routine as well and the two grew closer, though still just as competitive as before. Gary now looked at Ash as much closer to an equal than he otherwise would have, and they had a much better friendship as a result. Though Gary could still be a right arrogant prick occasionally.

Drying his face he went back to his room to grab his jacket and headed downstairs. His mother was out at the store so he secured a snack out of the fridge and set out the door to Oak's Ranch to see Mankey.

Mankey was doing very well, having befriended several of the more avid fighters in Oak's ranch including a few other Mankey. Ash hadn't realised it before without a frame of reference but seeing his Mankey and the others side by side showed just how much he had grown, being half a foot taller and a bit bulkier than the standard size of the species. He supposed that the constant training and sparring had done great things for his Pokemon especially since he hadn't been kept in his Poke Ball all that much.

Mankey's favourite fighting partner was actually a rowdy Charmeleon which considered itself the top-dog of its size group. Mankey was only too happy to prove that he wasn't to be underestimated and accepted every time Charmeleon challenged him. Mankey had the fire type beat comfortably on a physical level but was still learning to adapt to the fire type moves that could be employed at a moments notice. That was one thing that made this a very useful experience for Mankey, he had no knowledge of elemental attacks and only spent the last few years sparring with Ash. His instincts served him well but practical battle experience with lots of different types of Pokemon would be absolutely invaluable.

Ash still made time for Mankey and occasionally brought him home so that he could camp out on top of his wardrobe, the spot becoming his de facto bed. He had not told anyone about Mankey being captured except his mother. Gary would certainly kick up a fuss, not accepting that Ash had gotten a head start on the journey to being a champion and would demand a Pokemon from his grandfather which would just blow the whole thing wide open. Ash would never give Mankey up and he wasn't sure what the protocol for an illegal trainer having a Pokemon was, if they tried to force it then it would be over his dead body.

As Ash walked along the dirt roads he reminisced about his first date with Officer Jenny, or Jessica. It had only happened a few days ago and he was still riding on a bit of a high note from it.

Jessica had come knocking at his house in the afternoon dressed in what he would call non-uniform work clothes. She wore a white shirt and black pencil skirt with tights and had her hair brushed to come down her front over one shoulder. Ash of course wasn't expecting it at all and was in nothing but his training shorts and top which got an adorable reaction from the off-duty officer as she tried to look anywhere but at his toned physique. Ash recovered from his momentary shock and made sure to appreciate how cute the reaction was before rushing off to get ready.

Jessica apologised for the short noticed but said this would be the only time she could come all the way to town for a while and figured she may as well see if Ash were free. They took a walk around town, Ash keeping the conversation civil and related to things to do in Viridian City and if there were any updates about Kelsier. He tried not to sound too enthusiastic about learning of the thief but figured Jessica wouldn't pay it much mind. Turns out the trail had gone cold, much to Jessica's aunt's frustration which amused Ash to no end.

As they reached their destination, a small ice cream parlour, the two sat down opposite each other and ordered their choice of frozen snack. Ash took a moment to appreciate Jenny in her outfit, he really liked the way she had done her hair and told her so which earned him a soft smile. He knew he had to clear up the age thing, there was no way she thought he was as young as he was and it wouldn't be a good idea to let it go on any longer without all the facts on the table.

"Hey, Jess?" Ash asked, looking about as uncomfortable as he felt.

"Yeah?"

"How old were you when you joined the force?"

"Well it was about half a year ago now, so I was still 16. Why?" She asked, oblivious to where this was going.

"Well, you probably think I'm about your age right?" Ash noticed a slight frown form on her face as she looked him over.

"Yeah, you must be at least 15 right?"

"Not...so much as it happens. I'm...I'm 13. Just turned 13 actually." Ash admitted, having to force himself to bring his gaze up to meet her eyes.

Jessica looked at him, shock clear in her eyes before she blinked rapidly and looked down at the table. Thoughts of what she had seen of Ash going through her mind as she tried to reconcile this new information with Ash's physical build.

"You...You're only 13?" She asked, a noticeable hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Yeah...I know 13 is probably a bit young for you. But I really do like you, and in a few years, if you're interested I'd like to ask you out again. Maybe for now we can just be friends?" Ash asked, hoping that this compromise wouldn't be shut down.

Ash figured 15 to 18 wouldn't be so bad, especially at the rate he was growing. In a couple of years he would probably be close to 6 foot, fully schooled and have a trainer's license and would be travelling around the world on his own. If that wasn't considered basically an adult then what the hell was?

Jessica seemed to think about this, looking relieved that she wasn't going to have to reject the advances of a 13 year old. "Alright Ash, you're right that 13 is a little young so lets give it a couple of years. I hope you're ready though, I'll be 18 by then and a full grown woman." She smirked, the knowledge of the age gap giving her the confidence to tease Ash now that she was the elder.

Ash smiled, then deciding to fire back looked very obviously at her chest and said, "I don't know Jess, you look plenty grown to me." and gave her a wink.

Flushing beautifully Jessica looked away, unwilling to meet Ash's eyes. "This is so unfair. Why the hell are you so grown up..." She muttered to herself.

The rest of their outing was spent talking about safer topics like dreams and aspirations, interests and of course Pokemon. Ash promised to introduce Jessica to Mankey next time, not mentioning that he had already caught him. Jessica said that she was raising a Growlithe but that he was back in Viridian city at the moment which got a disappointed groan out of Ash and an amused giggle out of Jessica.

They parted in the early evening, Jessica giving Ash a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I don't know when I'll be able to come back and see you Ash, maybe there'll be another mystery suspect passing through, if we're lucky." She laughed as she mounted her cycle.

"I hope it doesn't take a wanted criminal to get you to come see me." Ash pouted, getting an amused smile out of Jessica.

"Well this is life for us adults Ash, you'll see in a few years." She winked and before Ash could respond she was gone, heading towards the town border and back to Viridian City.

Ash could only shake his head and laugh, he really enjoyed their teasing and was glad that he and Jessica had grown closer over the day.

Walking up the steps leading to the front door Ash approached the big building with a wind turbine, thoughts of Jessica and the possibility of dating her pushed from his thoughts. He knocked on the door and Oak shouted through for him to come in, walking through the foyer and further into the lab area Ash found Professor Samuel Oak fiddling with a red device.

"Ah Ash, good to see you. How go your studies?" Oak asked, turning in his chair away from his project.

"All good professor, I was running through some Geography work today. I'm all set for the start of term. I have to say though, it's a shame the vocational Pokemon Course doesn't start till the second year."

"Ah well now, we must get a good solid foundation before we begin on the more specialised subjects. There is nothing to worry about, I teach the course myself and a year is plenty of time to get through everything."

"Good to know. So how has Mankey been?" Ash asked, getting to the point of his visit.

"Very good, he has become something of celebrity among the other Mankey. They all appear to look up to him and it is most fascinating behaviour. I have very much enjoyed observing their interactions." Oak answered, clearly thrilled to have something new to study.

"A celebrity huh? Sounds like I'll have to break up the party." Ash laughed as he follow Oak out of the lab and out to the ranch.

Ash saw the sprawling green fields in front of him and in the distance there was a rocky area which was a bit smaller. The two areas were separated by a slow flowing stream cutting through the two terrain types. It was a very peaceful place and a perfect mix for the many types of Pokemon that made their home here.

As Ash and the Professor wandered through the fields Ash spotted a group of Mankey and noticed with amusement how ridiculously easy it was to spot his friend considering he was so much bigger. It seemed he was teaching some of the natives at the moment and was engaged in a spar so Ash settled down to watch with Oak joining him.

Ash's Mankey faced down two of its smaller brethren, totally focused on the opponents in front of him. They were both breathing noticeably harder than him and hadn't yet been able to land a solid hit, despite repeated attempts. They leapt forward again, one darting to Mankey's left and going for a sweeping low kick while the other leapt right and launched a karate chop high on his body in a well-synchronised attack. Ash smiled as he watched his friend react easily, catching the chop and jumping over the kick and in retaliation span and threw the Mankey in his grasp into the other attacker leaving them in a heap.

Ash gave his friend a round of applause causing him to look up in excitement, once he had checked on his sparring partners he ran over and climbed up on to Ash's shoulders.

"Well done pal, how are your students coming along?" Ash asked.

Mankey chattered happily in response, clearly pleased with the progress that was being made.

Ash crouched down and said hello to the other Mankey there who had grown used to Ash after seeing how their idol trusted him. He complimented the two that had be fighting and said he looked forward to seeing them get stronger which caused them to swell with pride. Mankey made an enthusiastic sound from Ash's shoulders to show he agreed.

Oak watched the interactions, very pleased with the way that Ash had learned to interact with Pokemon. He wished his grandson would learn a thing or two but knew it wasn't likely. To be sure, Ash had a positive influence on Gary but it seemed like he would never mellow out completely and his ego would take a while longer to deflate and allow him to experience the true joy of building friendships with these wonderful creatures.

Ash and Mankey said their good byes and, along with Oak made their way back to the lab intent on heading home. As they walked Ash noticed a familiar looking Charmeleon glaring at them and crouching next to him was a young man who Ash would put at 19 or 20. The man, who Ash assumed was the fire type's trainer glanced up and smiled before calling out. "Hello Professor, Charmeleon seems to be doing very well. Thank you for looking after him."

The Professor looked up and smiled before replying "No problem at all Dylan. Charmeleon has been getting on fine, in fact he has started up a bit of a rivalry with this Mankey here." Oak said as he gestured to the Pokemon sitting on Ash's shoulder. Mankey was currently locked in a glaring contest with Charmeleon so he didn't notice.

"Is that right?" He looked to his Charmeleon and then back to Ash, "Are you Mankey's trainer?" He asked.

"No, just his friend, I'm still a bit young to get my trainer's license." Ash answered, not liking how the older man was looking at him.

"That's a shame, I was going to suggest we have a friendly battle seeing as we're both here and the Pokemon already have a rivalry." The man said, looking a little put out.

Professor Oak thought for a moment before saying, "Well I don't see a problem with that, while Ash isn't an official trainer Mankey trusts him more than enough. How about it Ash? It will be your first Pokemon battle. You might not get the opportunity again for another 2 years." The Professor had a gleam in his eye and knew that the temptation would be irresistible for Ash.

He realised he really wanted to battle, and looking to Mankey he could see he was practically buzzing with excitement as well. This would be the first time they fought together, and he really wanted to win.

"Alright, you're on. Lets show them what we can do pal." Ash said to Mankey, who nodded.

"Alright Charmeleon, you ready for this?" He rolled his eyes when Charmeleon let out a stream of fire into the air, catching the attention of some of the other Pokemon on the ranch.

Charmeleon jumped out in front of his trainer and prepared to fight, but was puzzled when Mankey turned back to Ash and they started talking.

"You ready kid?" The older trainer asked, wondering what he was saying to the smaller Pokemon.

As Ash stood up and Mankey turned to face Charmeleon Ash replied, "Yep, just some last minute coaching."

Ash looked calm and composed from the outside but inwardly he was incredibly excited, and more than a little bit anxious. Would he let Mankey down? What if he didn't react in time? They had agreed to let Mankey respond using his best judgement at the start with Ash stepping in a bit later to see if he could come up with a plan. Ash knew Mankey could fight with the best of them and while he was fighting Ash would have time to think things through. This would be how they would work together as a team.

Charmeleon and Mankey faced off, the lizard standing a little taller and its tail burning brightly in anticipation, it flexed its claws in a show of power and ferocity. In contrast Mankey was focused and stood without moving, its arms raised it a stable stance, ready to attack, defend or dodge.

Oak took a few steps back and moved to stand between the two trainers. "This will be a friendly one on one match which will end when either trainer forfeits or either Pokemon is unable to battle. As Ash is not an experienced trainer I may decide to end the battle early if I deem it necessary, do you both understand?" At their nods he continued, "Well then, let the battle commence!"

"Charmeleon open up with Slash!" Dylan called, deciding to see how Ash would respond.

Charmeleon dashed forward, its claws glinting as they prepared to strike Mankey. Dylan expected a command to come from Ash but instead he just stood there, watching the attack coming. Had the kid frozen up?

As Charmeleon's claws came down Mankey parried, knocking the attacking arm away and countering with a swift uppercut and knocking Charmeleon back to its starting point. The red Pokemon was able to land on its feet though it was clear there was a good amount of power behind the hit.

Dylan narrowed his eyes as he realised what was happening, it appeared that Ash knew Mankey could respond well enough on its own to attacks and didn't need to micromanage it. Ash may not be a trainer but he knew this Mankey very well.

"Charmeleon use flamethrower!"

Charmeleon brought its head back and then lurched forward, launching a powerful stream of flames toward its opponent.

"Mankey dodge to the right, don't let him track you with the stream!"

Mankey leapt sideways instantly, comfortably avoiding the searing flames and continuing to keep ahead of them as Charmeleon tried to adjust his aim. The force of the flames meant he could only gradually turn lest he be knocked off balance.

"Mankey, make a sharp turn towards Charmeleon and leap up high over the flames!" Ash shouted out as Mankey had steadily closed the distance while avoiding the other Pokemon's attack.

"Cancel the flamethrower and dodge Charmeleon!" Dylan called, realising how defenceless his Pokemon was.

The flames ended, but not quickly enough as Mankey brought a powerful axe kick down on Charmeleon's head which was bolstered by the effect of gravity. A powerful thud echoed around the battlefield as Charmeleon was driven into the ground from the force of the attack. Dylan winced as he saw his Pokemon hit the floor.

Mankey leapt back, waiting to see if Charmeleon would continue. He knew from experience this Pokemon _did not_ like to lose.

"Dammit. Charmeleon are you OK?" He had underestimated Ash for sure, though if he really thought about it he wasn't sure how much difference his full effort would have made. That Mankey was fast, hit hard and could jump incredibly high. There was no way it hadn't had some battle experience already, and the same went for Ash. If Charmeleon were fresh and he knew what he was dealing with they would have a chance, but after that last attack he doubted this fight would continue.

Charmeleon struggled onto its knees, one eye closed and breathing hard as it glared at Mankey. For a moment it looked like it would regain its feet and continue the fight but then Professor Oak called out, "That's enough, Charmeleon took a lot of damage there. This match is over, there is no need to continue." Charmeleon looked grumpy, but turned and staggered back to its trainer.

Ash ran to his friend and lifted him up into a hug shouting, "You did it Mankey, we won our first battle!"

His friend hooted in joy along with his trainer, very happy that he had put on a good showing and that Ash was pleased with him.

After Oak had given a potion to Charmeleon he came over to congratulate Ash. "Well done Ash, you and Mankey battled very well. Out of interest what was it you said to Mankey before the battle started?"

Ash grinned and looked down at his Pokemon, clear pride in his voice as he answered, "I just said I trusted him to handle himself. I only got involved when I saw that Charmeleon was changing tactics, I figured I'd give Mankey an opening and knew he'd take care of the rest."

"I see, very well done indeed Ash." Oak complimented, pleased to see such trust between the two.

After seeing to Charmeleon Dylan walked over and offered his hand to Ash. "I didn't get your name kid, I'm Dylan and you really showed me something there. You sure you aren't a trainer?" He said with a resigned smile.

Ash took his hand and shook it. "My name is Ash, and no, I've known Mankey for a few years now but I'm not his trainer. We just trust each other and obviously he's no slouch in the fighting department either."

"Well either way, great match Ash. I'm sure Charmeleon would like a rematch one day." As he said that Charmeleon growled at Mankey who just chattered happily.

Ash said his goodbyes to everyone, noticing the looks of adoration Mankey was getting from his fellow monkey Pokemon and the two made their way back towards their home, ready to relax for the rest of the evening.

"Hello sweetie, how was the Professor?" Delia asked as Ash and Mankey walked in to join her in the living room.

"He was good, said Mankey has been getting on well and has sort of become an idol to some of the Pokemon there. Something really exciting happened today actually, Mankey and I battled another trainer and we won!" Ash couldn't help but be excited, thinking back over the battle on the way home he couldn't help wanting to shout about it and was really looking forward to telling his mother.

"Oh Ash that's fantastic! What did the Professor say?" Delia was delighted and she got up to hug her son.

"It was actually his idea, the other trainer mentioned he wanted to challenge me and Mankey and the Professor suggested it would be good experience for me. I think the other guy underestimated me a bit, but I had full faith in Mankey." Ash said as he settled down on an armchair, Mankey perching himself on the back above Ash's head.

"Congratulations honey, and well done to you too Mankey. Did you enjoy yourself?"

Mankey waved its arms in excitement and nodded in reply eliciting a laugh from Delia.

"Yep so now we're going to relax for an hour or so, maybe do some training later before settling in for the night. I finished up everything I was working on in preparation for school as well so I've got nothing but time for the next few days.

"Oh good, I was going to ask how your school work was going. Dinner won't be for a little while longer so you may want to go work out before its ready." Delia said as she got up to go and check on the food, the tantalising smells drifting in from the kitchen giving Ash something to look forward to.

"Alright mum, thanks. Come on pal lets go into the garden, we'll keep it simple today and just do drills." And with that they jumped up, Ash went to get changed and Mankey went out ahead to get prepared.

An hour later with a suitably elevated heart rate and dripping with sweat Ash came back inside and had a quick shower to cleanse himself.

Dinner passed quickly and soon enough Ash was getting into bed, Mankey having decided to sleep out in the forest tonight. Ash sat for a while, his hands behind his head as he let his mind wonder. There was the battle he had just won, how right it felt to fight alongside Mankey and the rush of victory. There was school starting on Monday, just 2 more days to go and a significant chunk of time would be taken each day. He'd probably see Mankey less and that would be tough to get used to, but they'd muddle through it like they always had.

Ash sighed as he drifted off to sleep with a smile, his dreams filled with Pokemon, schoolwork and cute police officers.

Hello?

The waiting was the worst part Ash decided. How are you even supposed to know if the other person has received the message?

What's the matter Ashy boy, can't wait till tomorrow to talk to me?

OK this thing works, looks like you actually can be helpful Gary

You're so lame. I can't believe you took this long to get a phone

Never needed one. Anyone who I'd speak to lives within a 10 minute walk

I pity your social life, do you realise how easy it is to keep in contact with multiple people with a phone? Multiple _**girls**_ specifically?

Ash paused and thought about that, true most people he knew lived close by but not all of them. Jessica for instance was far away, come to think of it she'd mentioned she had a phone, he'd have to get her number next time. He could see the usefulness of having a phone, he was mainly just arguing for the sake of it, Gary did that to you.

Spare me. I have one now don't I? You all set for tomorrow?

Of course I am Ash. You should really be asking, 'Is the school ready for Gary Oak'?

I'd rather leave it a mystery and find out tomorrow

Go to bed smart arse

Brat

Fitness Freak

Ash scoffed at Gary's remark and put his phone back on his desk. "I bet he's still sore over being trumped on his lap time." He and Gary had raced around town a few times with Ash coming out on top, it was still pretty close though even with them training separately. Whatever Gary was doing was obviously working out well for him.

It was getting late so Ash changed into his shorts and a lose t-shirt ready for bed. He double checked his bag for tomorrow and seeing it was all set decided to go and say good night to his mother.

Finding her curled up with a book in the living room he sat down next to her.

"Good book?" He asked.

"Not really. Main character is a total wimp." His mother grumbled as she saved her page and put the book down. "All ready for tomorrow?"

"I am, I got the phone set up as well. Had a quick chat with Gary that took about 5 messages to devolve into name-calling, so things are looking up." Ash chuckled at how little the dynamic between them had changed even though each of them had done a lot of growing up.

Delia smiled at her son, she had suggested picking up a phone to keep in contact with more people and get help on school work if he ended up needing it. Ash agreed after a little bit of convincing and they went shopping together, Delia buying it as a gift to commemorate starting school.

"Enjoy it while it lasts Ash, tomorrow you're starting school and before you know it you'll be leaving the town on your journey. Once that happens life will throw one thing after another your way and you'll miss these times when swapping insults and doing schoolwork are your biggest concerns." Delia watched as her son took in her words, she knew what Ash's dream was but it would be a long and difficult road no matter how you looked at it.

"You're right mum, I wont pretend I don't enjoy my little arguments with Gary and I am looking forward to school. I'm planning on having a good time, I won't just be focusing on working hard and nothing else, I can guarantee that."

"I'm glad to hear that honey, go and get some sleep now alright?" She said as she hugged him again.

Ash returned the embrace and once they came apart pecked her on the forehead.

"Just when did you go and grow up on me, hmm?" Delia mock scolded, putting her hands on her hips and pouting.

Ash rubbed the back of his head and smiled, "About the same time you grew that jungle out in the garden. Seriously I went out there to get Mankey and thought I'd have to grab a machete to get through it!"

"Well what can I say? I have a green thumb." Delia said dismissively, a small smile on her lips as she shooed her son up the stairs. "Good night Ash, see you in the morning."

"Night mum, love you."

"I love you too sweetheart."

Ash returned to his room and glanced up at his Pokemon on the top of the wardrobe, Mankey was snoring softly with his leg hanging off the side. "Well thanks for waiting up for me pal."

Ash rolled his eyes and climbed into bed, checking his alarm and phone for the 12th time and with a click switched off the light.


	5. Chapter 5

'Bzzz'

…

'Bzzz'

…

'Bzzz'

"…?"

'Bzzz'

"Wha..."

'Bzzz'

"What the hell...it's not even 5am." Ash groaned as he looked for the source of the buzzing.

'Bzzz'

The phone. Who the hell was messaging him this early. Ash reached over and saw that Gary _fucking_ Oak had sent him over 10 messages. "You utter prick..." Ash opened up the app and looked down the list of messages.

Morning Ash

Are you awake?

I hope you're not thinking of sleeping in on your first day of school

Hey

Hey Ash

Wake up

"Why is he such an absolute arse?" Ash grumbled to himself, Mankey stirred at the disturbance and he didn't look much happier than Ash did.

"Sorry pal, Gary sent a load of messages and woke me up. You can go back to sleep."

Mankey nodded sleepily, turned back over and almost immediately started snoring quietly. Ash wasn't sure he got the concept of messages but he probably at least understood that it was Gary's fault which was the important part.

Deciding he was probably too irritated to sleep Ash sent a reply to Gary. He needed to send something that would get across the depth of what he was feeling right now.

Die.

Perfect.

That done, he threw on some exercise clothes and headed out for an early morning jog. He took a scenic lap around the town, passing the local market and the relatively large town hall and then followed the tree line around the town border before looping around to head home. He considered doing something to Gary's place as he passed it but decided that would probably disturb Gary's sister Daisy as well and it wasn't worth pissing her off.

Ash arrived home 40 minutes later, a healthy sweat worked up and went up to his room to get ready. He showered and dressed, double checked his bag and grabbed his phone. He noticed with some irritation Gary had replied with several smiley faces.

Heading downstairs he started on breakfast for the three currently living under the roof, a bowl of fruit for Mankey, cereal for Ash and crumpets for his mother. Delia came down and joined him not long afterwards followed closely by Mankey. His mother fussed over him, checking his things and asking him if he had forgotten anything, he didn't protest as he knew she was just getting excited.

Breakfast finished, Ash sat Mankey down to remind him that he'd be leaving soon and that he couldn't take the Pokemon with him. He'd mentioned it before but he wasn't sure if Mankey realised that the start of school was today. The Pokemon looked predictably annoyed but otherwise seemed fine and the three of them killed the little bit of time they still had before he had to leave.

"Hold on Ash, let me get the camera. We'll take a photo to remember the day!" Delia said as she dashed off upstairs.

Ash sighed but wasn't all that bothered. He knew his mother liked to have pictures as mementos.

"Alright, Mankey you get up on Ash's shoulders, that's it. Now let me set the timer...There we go. Okay get ready!" She ordered as she ran back to stand on the opposite side to Mankey.

With a bright flash the camera captured their image, a happily smiling Delia and Mankey grinning at the camera from Ash's shoulder. Ash's own image looked a bit less enthusiastic but it wasn't a bad picture he decided and wouldn't mind it being put up somewhere, something that was guaranteed to happen if he knew his mother.

"Oh, my boy is all grown up. Have a wonderful day at school honey and send me a message if you're going to be late coming home alright?" Delia said, clutching Ash gently by the shoulders.

"I will mum, I'll see you this evening alright? You too Mankey, be good." Ash said his good byes and headed out the door and away to school. A teary eyed Delia Ketchum and an enthusiastically waving Mankey stood in the doorway watching him go.

Looking around the room Ash could see the rest of his class mates that would be joining him for the next couple years. He counted 15 others, a decent sized class he figured. Pallet Town wasn't very large and he knew there weren't that many children born around the same time as him.

Ash was sat in the middle row on the far left near the window giving him a pleasant view of the grass and trees outside. To his right was Gary who was leaning his chair back with his feet on the desk. Ash couldn't help but think how easy it would be to give him a little nudge and send him toppling over.

He knew most of the people in the class though none as well as Gary, he was friendly with about half of them, knew the names of another handful and the last few were strangers. He'd have to make sure to get to know some new people and swap numbers, he had a feeling his mum would be checking.

Just then the door swung open and in walked an older man wearing what looked like an old-fashion dress vest complete with tie, formal trousers and shoes. Ash noticed his eyes were keen as he glanced around the room twice before turning to write his name down on the board.

"Good morning class. I am Mr. Walker and I will be teaching you about the wider world outside of Pallet Town. Before that however we will carry out introductions, why don't we go around the room one by one. Each person will give their name, an interest or hobby and perhaps what you would like to do in the future."

As the first person got up Ash wondered what he could say as a hobby, does exercise count? That was sort of all he did outside of studying and hanging out with Mankey and he wasn't sure he wanted to bring any attention to his Pokemon just yet. Maybe he could say he liked helping out on Professor Oak's farm? He was there a fair amount after all even though he mainly spent time with Mankey.

"Hey everyone! My name's Kylie Turner and I love sports and working out! We should totally start a team together!. As for my goal, I'd really like to be a Pokemon Ranger." The girl called Kylie practically shouted, her enthusiasm quite clear for all to see. Ash hadn't been paying attention to the rest of the class but it had been hard to ignore the enthusiastic girl. He realised she was one of his classmates that he didn't know but it looked like it would be easy to strike up a conversation if she was that enthusiastic all the time.

"The name's Gary Oak, I'm sure you've heard of my grandfather Professor Oak," There were a few whispers around the class and a smirk formed on Gary's face, "My hobby is being the best and it's something I plan to continue. My dream is to become the Pokemon League Champion of the Kanto region." Gary dropped back down into his chair and resumed his relaxed posture, seemingly very pleased with his performance. Ash noticed he was certainly generating a lot of gossip.

Ash realised he was next so got to his feet. "Hey guys, My name is Ash Ketchum, I doubt you've heard of my Grandfather," Ash said with a smile, eliciting a few giggles from the room, "I like doing physical training and I spend a lot of time hanging out with wild Pokemon in the forest's around Pallet and at Professor Oak's ranch. My goal happens to be the same as Gary, though I may not stop at Kanto." Ash finished, seeing that his little jab had irritated Gary.

Ash listened as the rest of the class carried out their introductions, many of them didn't have much of an idea with where to go in their lives which was probably normal for 13 year old teenagers. Ash doubted he'd have much in common with most of them but wasn't planning on writing anyone off, if the opportunity arose he'd make friends with the whole class.

"Thank you everyone, you carried that out very efficiently. Can I ask for future reference, how many of you are planning on taking the vocational course on Pokemon catching, handling, raising and training?" Mr. Walker asked as the last person took their seat.

6 hands went up including Ash, Gary and Kylie's to which Mr. Walker nodded. "I will take your names at the end of the class, for those of you who are still undecided do not worry. You will have a month to choose whether or not to take the course which will begin in your second year, it will increase your work load but it is very worth it if you plan on spending any considerable amount of time with Pokemon. We will cover the essentials in the core curriculum of course as Pokemon are a natural part of our world."

The class continued with Mr. Walker bringing out a map of the world showing all the different regions before replacing the map with one of just the Kanto region in more detail. He explained that they would be focusing on their home region for starters and then move on to others as the year progressed.

"Right then, why don't we start nice and locally, can anyone tell me what type of terrain mostly surrounds Pallet Town, I'll give you a hint, one of your classmates spends time in them with wild Pokemon." Mr Walker said, looking pointedly at Ash.

Ash looked a bit sheepish as he rubbed the back of his head and noticed a few of his classmates following their teacher's gaze.

Kylie then raised her hand and said, "Forests, sir. Some parts of them stretch for miles away from the town."

"Correct, Kylie." Mr. Walker replied before moving on.

The class carried on in a similar manner. Mr. Walker continued to talk about the surrounding terrain, its history, likely Pokemon to find and ways to navigate through it. Ash was surprised at the scope of the class but had no complaints as it would all be useful on his journey and Mr. Walker seemed very competent.

An hour later the class was over and people began filing out, Ash was on the opposite side of the room from the door so he took his time getting his stuff ready. After he'd picked up his bag from the floor he stood up and was surprised to see the smiling face of Kylie standing next to his desk.

Kylie stood a little shorter than Ash, the top of her head sitting around the height of his eyes. She had wavy chestnut brown hair which was tied up in a loose ponytail, with bangs framing her face. She was wearing a beige long sleeve v-neck top along with light blue jeans and a pair of trainers. Her build could be called athletic which made sense considering her enthusiasm for sports.

"Hi, I'm Kylie." She said enthusiastically. Ash noticed she was practically bouncing and he realised she had something she wanted to say.

"Nice to meet you Kylie, I'm Ash. I take it my hobbies caught your interest?"

She beamed. "Yep! I've really been looking forward to starting school so I could meet people who are into fitness. Plus, I really want to start getting used to wild Pokemon, my mum wouldn't let me when I was younger and I only got to go to Professor Oak's ranch when he ran that summer camp a few years ago. Do you think I could maybe come with you next time?"

Ash was surprised at how forward this girl was but had no reason not to accept. He noticed she was looking a little anxious as she waited for his response, fiddling with a longer strand of her shoulder length brown hair.

"Sure Kylie, I'll take you along next time. Do you want to swap numbers and we'll set something up?"

"I'd really like that!" Kylie smiled as they exchanged numbers, looking very relieved that she had succeeded in her mission. "So how long have you been exploring the forest?"

Ash crossed his arms and looked up, trying to remember how long it had been. "6 years, give or take. My house is right on the edge of the forest so that really helped with getting my mum to agree. I would go a little ways in where the trees are still far apart and she would watch from the garden or kitchen window. It took a while but eventually my mum saw that the wild Pokemon were totally at ease with me running around with their children. I made friends with a family of Rattata that first week that I still visit and play with to this day. They aren't babies any more of course what with them growing so much faster but they're still around."

Ash fondly recalled his earliest memories of venturing into the forest and regaled Kylie about some of his mishaps and lessons he learned.

As he was talking Kylie listened with rapt attention, these were exactly the sort of experiences she hoped to have. The big problem would be convincing her mother to let her go, maybe she would get Ash to go and ask with her? He would be very convincing, plus he definitely looked like he could take care of himself which was the major worry for her mother.

"I'm sooo jealous Ash, this sounds so amazing! I'm going to talk to my mum tonight and hopefully she'll let me go if I say I'm going with you. Do...you think you'd be willing to meet her?" She asked with some trepidation.

' _Nice going Kylie',_ she berated herself, _'Ask a person you've just met to come meet your mum and argue your case for you. That's not weird at all!'_

"Yeah sure, I can do it after school if you like. My mum isn't expecting me back till a bit later on. Did something happen to make your mother so worried?"

Kylie blinked before quickly accepting her good fortune that Ash agreed to her request. "Sort of, a couple of Spearow once attacked me when I was little, I don't remember it very well. Apparently I was crying a lot and it irritated them, I learned afterwards that they were mostly posturing and didn't actually hurt me but it really scared my mother who saw these two Pokemon swarming me. Ever since then she's not had a great opinion of Pokemon." She explained, wondering if her mother would ever stop being so worried.

"I can't really blame her honestly, I doubt my mum would have been too thrilled if I had gotten mobbed those first few months. I'll do what I can, try and put her mind at ease. It might be tricky though, irrational fears like this can be hard to dispel. I do sort of have an idea, I'll meet you an hour after school and we can go see your mum, I need to get something first."

Ash thought that if Kylie's mum met a Pokemon that was a strong fighter and friendly she might come around to the idea of Kylie being around other wild Pokemon. This is where Mankey would come in, he wouldn't reveal that he was a Pokemon Trainer but just introduce Mankey as a friend. Maybe even play up how protective his little partner was to set her fears to bed.

Kylie couldn't keep the smile off her face. Finally! She'd get to go and experience nature at its finest and learn everything there was to know about wild Pokemon. Now all that was left to do was wait for the day to be over, luckily as this was the first day of term it was going to end earlier.

"Thank you so much Ash! So shall we head to the next class? It's a shorter day today so there's just one more lesson then we're home free." She tried not to sound _too_ enthusiastic but she couldn't help it.

"You know, I'm fairly sure you're not supposed to be this eager to finish school on the first day of your first year." Ash said as he smirked at Kylie and she looked a little embarrassed as they walked together out of the class and towards their next lesson.

"I can't help it, if everything works out I could really start to learn about Pokemon in the wild! For real! Not just observing them at the ranch or reading about them in books. This is going to change everything!" Kylie was practically shouting at Ash as they walked side-by-side attracting a few concerned stares from other students.

Ash hoped this wasn't going to damage his reputation, Kylie seemed nice but she sure was loud.

"You're right, but remember not to go charging in. They are still wild Pokemon and you definitely do _not_ want them to feel threatened." Ash said, hoping to bring her back to reality and a reasonable tone of voice.

Kylie calmed down at this, nodding along to Ash's advice. "I've read a lot of behavioural books on Pokemon, I know how viciously they can defend themselves and especially their family. I know I must seem pretty irresponsible right now but this is something I've wanted for years and now its so close I can almost taste it, sorry for getting carried away." Now that she had calmed down she realised just how loud she had been, sheepishly offering apologetic glances at the students still watching them.

"Don't worry about it, I know the day I get my trainer's license and first Pokemon I'll be riding cloud 9 and probably make a prat of myself."

' _Not to mention how I reacted when I caught Mankey...'_ Ash thought as they arrived at their next class.

Kylie giggled and they parted ways as they went to their seats, Ash was by the window again which he took advantage of by gazing lazily out at the view, thinking that he had got a pretty good start at school.


	6. Chapter 6

_11 months later_

He had come to visit again. He didn't know how else to help, but he thought his company was appreciated judging from the affectionate Raticate nuzzling into his touch. Ash had known her since she was a Rattata, she was the oldest of the children in that family and was ready to start a family of her own. It wasn't long before she met her mate and gave birth to children and Ash made sure to come visit often to play around and check on her. Unfortunately it didn't last. Her children, and her mate were gone now, leaving her alone. A couple of Ekans had got the jump on her mate and made short work of her children while she was out foraging.

It must have been a couple of days after it happened, Ash had come to visit and found her huddled up in her burrow looking like she had been through a 6-on-1 battle. She was whimpering, half an ear was missing and her body was covered in dried blood, scratches and puncture marks. Two dead Ekans were nearby, they had been killed brutally with one of them literally torn in two. It didn't take long for Ash to piece together what happened.

It took over an hour to get the poor creature cleaned up, she flinched when he called to her but years of friendship over came that. She looked at Ash and pained cries sounded from the grieving Pokemon, Ash's heart broke watching her and he did what he could to offer some comfort. After cleaning her and treating her wounds he set about moving the corpses of the Ekans away from the burrow, deciding to leave them elsewhere in the forest, knowing that nature would see they didn't go to waste.

It had been three weeks since the tragedy occurred and gradually the surviving Raticate's health had been returning, both physically and mentally. For the first two weeks Ash visited every day, bringing food and treatment items to ensure nothing was amiss with his friend. Mankey came along too and he offered what comfort he could.

The whole ordeal had been hard for Ash to bear, he had never experienced such a deep sadness and sense of loss. The little ones were bundles of innocence and excitement and he enjoyed the time he spent playing with them each time he came. Thinking of the fear and pain they would have gone through in the moments before their end was difficult.

Ash knew there were those that dismissed Pokemon as unintelligent creatures to be used and discarded, but he was convinced those people had never truly tried to befriend a Pokemon before. These were creatures capable of so much more than simply battling or manual labour, they could feel real emotions. Admittedly they could not be compared to humans, but they were so much more than other wildlife.

His phone vibrated from his pocket on the other leg from the nestled Raticate and he reached in to withdraw it.

Hey! My mum wants to invite you over for dinner again, do you think you can make it tonight?

Kylie had grown to be a good friend over the past year and Ash had become a frequent sight at the Turner household for dinner or the occasional study session. It had started back on the first day of school where Ash's plan to convince Kylie's mother of his ability to keep her daughter safe was a stunning success. Since then she often extended an invite to Ash and Mankey to come over, keeping a supply of Pokemon food on hand just for Mankey though Ash had assured her he liked fruit and nuts just fine.

After getting over that initial hurdle Kylie had wasted no time in pestering Ash to set up a time and place for them to meet and begin exploring, much to Ash's amusement. Ash thought back to the first outing they went on together, all those months ago.

 _Flashback_

Ash stood at the forest edge, his back against a tree as he waited for his companion to arrive. It was pretty early in the morning so they'd have a few hours of warm weather and good lighting to make their way through the woods meaning it should be a perfect first experience for Kylie. He wore a dark short sleeve top which had seen better days along with faded combat trousers and all-terrain boots. He looked up as he heard footsteps approach.

"Ash! I'm ready to go, I've filled my bag with some essentials like a canteen, rope, bandages, some dried food for both us and the Pokemon..." Kylie paused, seeming to notice Ash was empty handed. "Uh, we are going exploring today right?" Kylie asked, a little confused.

Ash took in Kylie's appearance, like him she was wearing tough looking boots and had a short sleeve top on, though she was wearing khaki shorts and had a decent sized backpack as well. Her hair was done up in a braid and it fell in front of her left shoulder. All in all, she looked ready to rumble.

"Sure are. You're really prepared huh? I take it you've read a lot about wilderness survival?"

"Yep! I read a whole lot about it, its a huge part of being a ranger after all. Where are your things Ash? You can't be thinking of trekking around the forest with nothing but your clothes on...right?" Kylie seemed to be in a state of mild disbelief.

' _Better snap her out of it...'_ Ash thought.

"Don't worry, I know it looks like I am being incredibly reckless in doing this. You have to remember I basically grew up in these woods. I know them like I know my own garden, from places to get fresh water to Pokemon who will welcome me to eat and rest with them. I wouldn't ever try to go exploring with out proper supplies in a new area." Ash finished his explanation, noticing Kylie looked a lot more understanding and even excited now.

"Wow Ash that's amazing, you can't really know the whole forest right? It stretches on for miles!" Kylie gushed.

Ash thought for a moment, "Well you're probably right about that, I'd say I know the first few miles intimately with my familiarity steadily declining as we get further out."

Kylie was practically jumping up and down now. "This is so cool Ash, hey have you ever thought about drawing up a map? One of the skills that I've heard to be beneficial is cartography, the making of maps."

"Really? I hadn't ever given it any thought, though that sounds like something I'd really enjoy. Can't hurt to try, do you think we could work on making one?" The idea really excited him and he didn't mind admitting it, the forest was huge and he knew where all the cool little hard to reach spots were. He smirked as he thought about how much Professor Oak would love a guide to navigate his way to some of them in order to observe the Pokemon there.

"Absolutely! I've been working on some basic skills so I can definitely get started on drawing one up, then we can expand the level of detail as we go. With your knowledge we could even turn it into an official document!" As excited as Kylie was, she immediately noticed the down-turn of Ash's lips as she finished talking. "Ash…?" She asked, worried she upset him.

"I don't want that to happen Kylie, if people could find their way to some of the spots I plan on documenting then they'd ruin the natural habitat. There are some rare Pokemon in this forest and I don't want to paint a target on their back. You understand, right?" Ash said, his tone serious.

Of course she understood. She wanted to slap herself for getting carried away. One of the responsibilities of Pokemon Rangers was to ensure Pokemon lived freely in their natural habitat without fear from poachers. And here she was, prattling about advertising exactly what Pokemon were available and how to access them.

Ash saw how sad the girl across from him looked and could guess where her thoughts were heading, so he stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I know you didn't mean anything by it. We've got a forest to explore, you still with me?" He asked, tone gentle and a smile on his face.

Kylie looked up saw nothing but compassion there. She was really lucky to have such a kind person to help her out, and not for the first time she thanked her good fortune to have Ash for a friend. She nodded, "Yep, I'm ready Ash!"

Over the next few hours the two explored a route set by Ash, he had plotted it to show Kylie some of the friendlier Pokemon he knew of as well as some natural water sources and exotic plant life.

Kylie felt like she had stepped into wonder land. She didn't know how she could ever go back to simply reading about things after this. Every Pokemon they met was approached with near reverence by Kylie as Ash guided her interaction. He showed her how to demonstrate they weren't a threat, how they should not approach the young without first gaining the trust of the parent and, most importantly, spotting signs that a Pokemon simply was not going to tolerate their presence and they would need to leave.

Kylie also did her best to share her knowledge with Ash as they explored, pointing out various berries and plants that were viable food sources for either humans or Pokemon. Ash took this information in, having a rudimentary understanding of what certain Pokemon liked from having witnessed them eating certain things, but was grateful to have this deeper knowledge as well.

"This one here is a favourite of rodent types, they can't get enough of them." Kylie said, crouching down next to a bush with purple coloured berries growing in them. "But be careful, they are absolutely not for humans and even most other Pokemon steer clear of them."

Ash nodded along, deciding not to mention one of his less happy memories from his childhood. He had spent a few hours in the forest and was growing very hungry, and so he had the bright idea of helping himself to the berries his current Rattata playmates were enjoying. The pain from digesting the wretched things still haunted him, and he was pretty sure he scarred a few of the Rattata as well.

"Makes sense, I've seen plenty of Rattata scarfing them down. Does anyone know what it is in the berries that makes them so appealing?" Ash asked as he knelt down next to Kylie.

Kylie shook her head. "Not definitively. Plenty of theories, from composition, to flavour or even just that they happen to grow where there are lots of rodent-type Pokemon."

Ash hummed in acknowledgement and they continued on their exploration.

It was a tired duo that emerged from the forest several hours later, the afternoon sun fading in the sky as evening approached. The day of exploring had taken its toll and they were covered in a light sheen of sweat, but the smiles on their faces showed just how much they had enjoyed their time together.

"You're insane Ash, how could you possibly just decide to start training with aPokemon!? And a _fighting-type_ at that!"

"Hey, give me a break, it seemed like a fantastic idea at the time. Besides, I think it paid off." Ash smirked.

"Are you sure it's just Gary that has an ego?" She teased, though she couldn't help a glance at Ash's body.

"Ah but there's a difference, Gary believes he's better by default. With me though, there are certain things I've put a lot of effort into which then translates into confidence. Big difference."

"Hmm, if you say so."

They walked together for a while, a comfortable silence between them. Kylie was riding a high that didn't feel like it would ever end, she was just so _satisfied_ with how the day went. Ash had showed her everything she thought she was missing, and somehow, it was even better than she imagined. She couldn't begin to express how grateful she was to Ash for giving her the opportunity to go exploring for real.

Ash's thoughts were nothing so grand, he was just happy to spend time with Kylie helping her towards her goal. It felt great to make a friend with such similar interests and Ash hoped they'd remain friends as they pursued their goals.

"Well, this is me." Kylie said, coming to a stop by one of the houses.

Ash stopped too, turning to face his classmate. He could see how exhausted she was but the look in her eye let him know she wouldn't have it any other way. "Alright then. I hope I was able give you a good first day, you really impressed me you know? I figured you wouldn't last since you weren't used to it, but I guess your whole sporty introduction wasn't just for show!" Ash joked.

"Don't you forget it! I meant what I said that day and you are definitely joining a sports team with me!" Kylie returned. "And I really did enjoy today, it was so much better than I thought it would be, you were a fantastic guide Ash!" She said as she stepped forward to hug the taller teen.

Ash was caught off-guard for an instant but quickly recovered and returned the hug for a few moments before they separated.

"I plan on starting on the map tonight, I've been thinking about it all day and I have a pretty good idea on some initial sketches. Do you want to meet up sometime to work on it together?" Kylie asked as she reached her door.

Ash nodded. "Definitely, if you can get a rough outline I can point out some of the essential landmarks."

Kylie smiled. "Perfect. I'll speak to you soon Ash, and thanks again. For everything."

"It was my pleasure. Get some rest before you start working, alright?"

"Yes sir!" Kylie said, bringing her hand to her head in a salute. She was able to hold it for all of a second before the laughter came, both from her and Ash, the image just too ridiculous for either teen to manage.

"Dismissed, Ranger!" Ash saluted back after calming down, and then turned to walk back home as Kylie retreated indoors, giggling at their antics.

 _Present_

Bringing his thoughts back to the present Ash looked at the message from Kylie. He had no problem with going over for dinner, he just wasn't sure if he was up for the high energy occasion it was sure to be. Kylie seemed to get her cheerful personality from her parents and Ash wasn't exactly in the mood for it right now, not after being in this place.

Hey Kylie, I don't think I'll be great company tonight. Another time?

Ash hit send and let his arm drop, his gaze settling on the sleeping Raticate at his side. Ash knew she would survive, though whether she would be able to start another family was another question. His phone vibrated again.

Oh! Are you with Raticate? :(

Yeah. Would be pretty hard to switch moods, you know?

I understand, I'll let my mum know. How is she?

She's sleeping right now, looks to be mostly recovered from what I can see. Tell your mum thanks for the invite for me?

Of course Ash. I'm glad Raticate is OK! :)

Me too. I'll see you tomorrow

:) xxx

Ash spent the next half hour with Raticate before he decided to head back. Crouching down to her level he let her nuzzle against his cheek as he said his goodbyes and promised to return soon. He wandered back on a criss-crossed path, visiting Pokemon he hadn't seen for a while and checking in with them. Recent events had made him worried when the next disaster could strike. He knew that this was just the way nature worked, but it didn't make it any easier to accept.

Delia watched her son walk into the kitchen and could see the melancholy atmosphere dripping off of him. She knew where he had been and her heart went out to him, knowing how much he cared for those Pokemon he befriended. It had been difficult for her to see her son in the immediate aftermath of the incident as he had taken it hard, though she was proud of how he had since dealt with his emotions and realised that nature could sometimes be cruel.

"How was your friend honey?" She asked from her position at the counter, an array of sliced and diced vegetables arranged before her. Her efforts to cultivate a home garden had paid off wonderfully and she had a lovely harvest of fresh produce.

"She's looking better every day, most of the poison has been purged and the puncture marks have all healed. Her mood seems to have improved as well, though she spent most of the time sleeping." Ash said, taking a seat at the table.

"That's a relief. Professor Oak called to say Mankey was pretty exhausted from sparring earlier and he'd like to keep him there for recovery."

Ash became concerned at this. "Did he give any details? Maybe I should go check up on him."

"You don't need to worry, the Professor just said that he had really pushed himself, there aren't any real injuries. Apparently there aren't many Pokemon on the ranch that can keep up with him any more."

Ash smiled at this. It made sense after all, the Pokemon that were at Professor Oak's ranch weren't being actively trained and were basically on holiday whereas Mankey greatly enjoyed seeking new challenges and improving. Once they were finally able to leave on their journey Ash knew the level of opponents would improve and they'd be faced with Pokemon in top form.

A while later the two sat down to a beautifully made Shepherd's Pie, the creamy potatoes cooked to perfection covering the vegetables and meat soaked in a rich gravy. Ash practically melted in his seat as he delighted in his mother's cooking once again.

Delia watched her son react as he always did and gave herself a mental pat on the back for a job well done. It gave her great satisfaction as a mother to be the source of such a reaction and she knew she would miss this terribly when Ash left. She really needed to try teaching him how to cook again. Ash's culinary skills could best be described as 'lacking' at present and she didn't want to let him travel 'unarmed' so to speak.

Delia had mentioned how useful knowing how to cook some basic meals would be on the road and, seeing the sense, Ash agreed to a few lessons. He had picked things up steadily, his first attempts at preparing vegetables left much to be desired but eventually he was able to produce peeled and chopped produce without _too_ much mess. Delia intended to continue the lessons and ensure Ash had a few go-to meals in his repertoire before he left which would give her some peace of mind.

Ash got up to wash the dishes, waving off his mother's protests with a smile. "Ash, have you forgotten what tomorrow is? You need to go upstairs and make sure you're prepared." Delia said, her tone stern.

"Of course not mum, but an extra hour or two isn't going to make a difference. Instead let me at least lighten the burden of such a wonderful mother." He finished, bowing theatrically and eliciting an exasperated sigh from his mother, though Ash spotted the small upwards curl of her mouth.

With the dishes washed and his mother wished goodnight Ash went to clean himself up, changing into his comfy indoor clothes. That done he fell backwards onto his bed and drifted into a light doze, vaguely aware of the world around him. This was interrupted when his phone vibrated once again.

Hey stranger, are you up or is it past your bed time?

Jessica. He had only seen her once after the initial time, a few months back and she couldn't hang around for long as she was scouting around the area for a gang of thugs who had been biking around. They had spent a little bit of time together and Ash had remembered to get her number, she had teased him just like Gary over not having a phone for so long and so in retaliation he had saved her contact as 'Officer Cougar' which got a huff of indignation.

Might be, care to state your intentions Officer?

Ash put his phone down, expecting there to be a delay but was surprised to feel a quick response. Seemed Jessica would be able to talk for the moment, usually their text communications were spotty with conversations being dropped and resumed hours apart.

So formal! School has turned you into such a polite young man! Emphasis on _young_ ;)

' _She just won't let that whole age thing drop will she...'_

Quiet night in Viridian then?

I wish, just missing my favourite town boy :)

Though on a more serious note, I wanted to give you a heads up as well, remember that gang of thugs from before? We broke them up last week, but a few of them were spotted together heading in your direction. There were only 4 left but I wouldn't put it past them to start trouble in a quiet town like yours.

Ash furrowed his brows at this. Would they really start trouble? He supposed that was what thugs did and decided to keep an eye out for them.

Thanks Jess. I'll keep my eyes open and let Professor Oak know.

Good. Be careful Ash, I wanted to set up a patrol for Pallet but my superior didn't think it was necessary.

You big softie. You're the best Jess!

* * *

In a small apartment in Viridian City a young Junior Officer had a happy smile and a small blush on her face as she read a message on her phone.

* * *

Of course I am, nice of you to notice! Anything interesting been happening lately?

To tell you the truth, I'm not in a great mood. A family of Rattata that I've known for years were almost completely wiped out a few weeks back by wild Ekans. The only one left was a Raticate, she was the mother. I was there today to spend time with her, she's on the mend but I can still see the pain.

He had never really delved too deeply into personal topics with Jessica, they mainly talked through texts and the conversations were sporadic so it didn't really seem like the ideal place. But he decided he trusted her opinion and thought she may have some more insight as the older party.

Oh Ash, I'm so sorry. I really wish I could be there with you :(

You aren't blaming yourself are you?

I'm not, I mean of course I wish I could have done something. But no, I know that's just wishful thinking. I just keep thinking about the last moments of the kids before they died, I know nature can be cruel, but to experience it like this...And for it to happen to a family that I was close to, it's tough.

It really is. I've lost people I care about too. I think what you're doing is wonderful though, spending time with the Raticate, I'm sure she appreciates it. I think that it will help you to process and deal with it as well, and together you will heal each other. That's what happened with me, I had others who were hit just as hard and together we leaned on each other because we could understand what the other person had gone through.

What Jessica was saying made sense, his relationship with those lost wasn't the same as Raticate but he still cared about them. He knew his presence was of some help, no matter how small but now he realised that perhaps he was benefiting from his visits as well. He'd do everything he could to support Raticate and hopefully they'd get through this together.

That makes sense. I think you're right Jess, maybe it is helping me as well.

I'm sure it is. You're strong Ash, and you make other people stronger too, I know you'll both come out on top of this!

Ash felt a bit embarrassed at the praise but was glad for it none the less.

Alright smooth talker. I better go now, I've got my end of year exams tomorrow and I am shattered.

The immediate reply that Ash was expecting didn't come so he got up and went around his room preparing his bag and clothes for tomorrow before stripping down to his boxers and getting into bed. As he was about to set his phone to silent and turn the light off it vibrated once again.

When he opened up the message his only reaction was to blink in surprise, followed by a rather extreme heat rising to his face. There on his screen was a picture taken by Jessica, only she was leaning forward blowing a kiss and displaying an enticing amount of cleavage from the tank-top she was wearing. The caption read 'Good Luck Ash!'.

Ash really wanted to spend more time admiring the image but knew now really wasn't the time to indulge his quite rampant teenage hormones. Cursing Jessica for sending him something so stimulating now of all times he quickly typed out a reply.

Are you trying to keep me awake all night? It might work...Night Jess, I'd send you one back if I thought you could handle me in my boxers ;)

Too bold? Maybe, but the thought of Jessica's embarrassed blush gave him a funny thought to focus on as he tried to drift off to sleep, doing his best to keep the stunning selfie from the front of his mind.

* * *

"And time, pens down everyone."

Ash finished his sentence on the hit and run tactics used during the Fuchsia Offensive in the last war and set his pencil down, glad that he had made it through the day of gruelling exams and hadn't passed out.

"Pass your papers forward to the front and make sure your names are written clearly on each page, every year there is someone who forgets this and subsequently is graded a 0. Do not be that person!" The history teacher finished, the stern voice laced with a note of pleading. He enjoyed teaching but by all that was holy some children just _did not listen._

Ash double checked his answer sheets and passed them forward, doing the same for those behind him and settled down to wait to be dismissed. He glanced over at Gary and saw his standard smug satisfaction, _'No problems there then...What about Kylie?'_ Thinking that he glanced towards the front of the class and had to resist face palming. She was hurriedly scribbling something at the top of each of her sheets, her name presumably. Kylie was by no means stupid, but she really could work on taking her time, she tended to dive head first into any endeavour.

Ash, Gary and Kylie, along with a couple of others had spent several evenings over the past few months running study groups so they could cover each other's weaknesses. Ash and Kylie were always happy to help, while Gary always took some convincing but eventually pointed out the bigger errors or areas for study.

Once the class was dismissed Kylie bounced over to Ash's desk, nimbly spinning and hopping up to sit on it in one swift motion. "So? How'd you do?"

"I'm confident I managed about 85% across the board, maybe pushing 90 in a few of them. How about you?" Ash said, leaning back in his chair.

"I did good enough, I'll be happy with 70% which will keep my folks off my back. How about you Gary?" She said, turning her attention to the brown haired boy walking over.

"How do you think? This was the easiest test of the day." He said, taking a seat one desk over from Ash.

"Gosh are you ever not confident?"

"I can answer that." Ash interjected, raising his hand as if in class, Gary just gave him a flat look and Kylie laughed.

"Alright you two, Jim and Lenny both bailed on our celebratory ice cream plans so its just us three. Are you ready to go?" Kylie asked, her displeasure at plans being abandoned clear to see.

"Yep I'm still in, what about you Gary?"

"Actually I…" He trailed off as he caught sight of the icy glare Kylie was sending his way, swallowing and gathering his resolve he continued, "…Uh, guess I can join, for a little bit at least. Gramps asked for some help at the lab once I was done but I can put it off for half an hour or so." He finished, relieved that the pressure radiating from Kylie had dissipated, her usual cheerful demeanour restored.

Ash laughed at the exchange, it was too rare an occasion that found Gary off-balance and he loved to enjoy each of them to their fullest. "Right then, the three of us it is." He said, getting up and shouldering his bag.

The three of them made their way towards the door and out into the hall, only to be called from behind. "Mr. Ketchum, a word?"

The three turned, and Ash saw that his teacher Mr. Walker was standing behind them. He frowned before asking, "Mr. Walker? Is something wrong?"

"Not at all, I wanted to suggest some reading that I believe would be beneficial to you over the break. Do you have a moment?"

"Oh right, yeah sure." Ash turned to his companions and said, "I'll catch up guys," He noticed the look on Kylie's face and added, "I won't be too long, I'll buy you extra to make up for it, alright?"

Kylie looked reluctant but nodded as Ash stepped away, rolling her eyes when Ash threw a wink in her direction.

As Kylie and Gary headed off to get their ice cream Ash followed his teacher back to his office. They had struck up an extra-curricular relationship over common interests, specifically related to treacherous regions around the world that were not covered in the core curriculum. After Ash had repeatedly asked questions that demonstrated he was doing reading in his own time Mr. Walker had offered Ash books from his own collection that were fountains of knowledge Ash was eager to learn from. Since then Mr. Walker had occasionally met with Ash to suggest directions which he should study further, each time picking a more exotic location in an ever-more distant region.

* * *

Half an hour later Ash hurried out of the school building, acutely aware of how much time he had spent chatting. He withdrew his phone and winced as he noticed a few messages from Kylie, checking through them to see her asking when he was going to arrive. The increasing use of capital letters did not bode well for her mood. Ash spared a thought for Gary having to deal with her alone. As he walked his phone rang.

"Ash! Where are you?" A voice asked, worry and anxiety easily detectable.

"Jim? I'm heading over to get ice cream with Kylie and Gary. She said you had to bail earlier, anything wrong?" Ash asked, growing concerned.

"You could say that. I managed to get out of the thing that stopped me coming and headed over to meet you guys, I just got here but there are a few tough looking guys hanging around outside the shop with motor bikes. They're causing a commotion and it looks like Kylie is stuck, I can't see Gary anywhere either."

Thugs. Kylie. Alone.

"Fuck!" He swore under his breath. He put the phone back to his ear. "Jim listen, I'm on my way, what are they doing right now?"

"One of them is arguing with the shop owner, the others are going around pestering the customers. Oh man, now there's one bothering Kylie!" The panic in the boy's voice was continuing to grow.

' _I need to hurry, If I run I can get there in about 5 minutes. I need Mankey, things could get messy and they might have Pokemon.'_

"Alright Jim listen to me, I'll be there soon, distract them and run if you have to." Ash knew Jim was no fighter, he was one of the smaller boys in town, his hobbies included bug catching and star gazing. But he knew something else about Jim too, he cared about his friends.

"A-A-Are you sure? W-What if they attack me?" The now nervous boy stuttered out, not keen on the idea of intervening.

"Jim, only do it if things start to look bad. This is for Kylie, OK?" He felt bad about pressuring him but he knew they'd both regret it if Kylie got hurt.

"A-Alright Ash, I'll throw something at them if I have to." Jim sounded anything but confident, but Ash smiled to himself at his friend's courage.

"You're the best Jim, see you soon." With that he hung up and increased his pace. He had one more call to make and dialled a number.

"Gary, I need you to do something for me."

* * *

Gary sprinted through the lab and down the corridor, heading for the door leading outside to the enclosure. Rushing out, he came to a skidding halt and whirled around, looking for a particular Pokemon. "Mankey!" Several white bodies turned towards him but Gary focused on the one that he was addressing, the largest of them looked at him curiously.

"Mankey, Ash needs you to go to him, it's an emergency!" He said breathlessly, not even sure how Mankey would manage to find Ash.

The shift in the Pokemon was like night and day, his eyes became hard and focused, and the underlying tension in its muscles caused Gary to take a step back involuntarily. "He should be in that direction, will you be able to find him?" Gary asked as he gestured roughly where the ice cream shop was.

The Pokemon however was already on the move before Gary had finished speaking, moving faster than he'd ever seen. The sight left Gary standing there shocked for a moment, before he collected himself and went to find his grandfather. There weren't any local police in the town so it fell to Professor Oak to act as a peace keeper in these situations.

"Don't do anything stupid Ash..." He muttered to himself as he headed back inside.

* * *

Kylie was scared. These people had came out of no where with their big bikes and rough looking clothes and basically took over the whole shop. She had never seen anybody like them in this town, which meant they came from elsewhere to cause trouble, and it looked like they were really good at it. They had already threatened the owner into silence and were helping themselves to ice cream and other snacks while herself and a few others looked about nervously. She had tried to get up and leave but one of them sat down next to her and basically locked her in to her seat.

Gary hadn't been gone 5 minutes before they turned up. She had been staring at her phone, waiting for Ash to respond to one of her messages and she was getting annoyed at his silence. She was really looking forward to celebrating with her friends but now everything had gone wrong. She found herself hoping that Ash would be here soon but really, what could he do? Sure he was fit and strong but she doubted he knew how to fight, he was too nice.

"So whaddya say little lady, why don't you hang out with us for a while? Bring a few of your friends with you too we'll make a day of it!" The thug sitting next to her drawled, looking far too sure of himself in his scuffed coat and torn jeans. The man looked a mess and Kylie wanted nothing more than get out of this situation.

"Sorry, no thanks. I have to be somewhere." She muttered, again trying to stand up and leave before another member of the gang took notice and grasped her arm, pulling her back down into a seat.

"What's the rush? Stay a while, we'll have loads of fun!" The new person crowed. His laugh sent chills running down her spine, as if something wasn't quite right with him, his physical appearance not doing him any favours either with a shock of spiky red hair and tattoos down his arms. She wanted to be near this guy even less than the other one. He was eyeing her, blatantly looking her up and down and Kylie had to fight back tears welling up in her eyes.

' _Ash...'_

"Ow! Hey! Come here you little shit!"

Kylie looked up as she heard shouting outside, one of the thugs who was sitting on a parked bike was holding his head as he chased after a retreating figure. Kylie almost screamed in surprise as she saw Jim making a run for it, he must have been trying to draw their attention! Her heart filled with warmth and gratitude for a moment before it reversed its direction and nearly froze, the thug had caught Jim and was dragging him back, the small boy fighting in vain to free himself.

"Think you're pretty funny do ya? Huh, kid!?" The thug holding Jim spat as he pushed the boy onto the floor inside the shop. He yelped in pain as he impacted, rolling onto his side and holding his shoulder.

"Now Terry, what has this fine young man done to deserve such treatment?" The red-haired thug spoke in a tone of amusement. He obviously wasn't above getting rough with those who didn't play along.

"Kid threw a rock and my head, little bastard's lucky it didn't draw blood or he'd be holding more than his shoulder!" The now named Terry replied as he stalked off to get some ice for his injury.

Kylie looked at Jim, wanting to go over to him but scared to try and get past those in her way. She saw he was getting himself up and they made eye-contact, but instead of the scared and pained eyes she was expecting there was determination there. Jim held her gaze, slowly nodded and then smiled. And then she realised. He must have got help. But who could he ask? Professor Oak perhaps? Or one of their teachers? Jim was her friend and was a great many things but brave was not one of them, who could convince him to do such a rash thing as this and still somehow give him the confidence to smile? Then another thought hit her. She knew Jim looked up to Ash, could he be on his way? Suddenly things started to seem like they would work out, it was like she could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Ash was coming, and because she knew that, she could be strong.

* * *

Ash slowed from his sprint as he arrived at the ice cream shop, he spotted several parked motor bikes arranged outside but no riders.

' _Must still be inside, dammit I need to get them to come out. What would get their attention?_ _C_ _an't threaten them and can't pretend to be the police. Is there anything I can tempt them with?'_ As Ash's thoughts whirled his eyes absently settled on the bikes and like a thunder shock it hit him. Ash grinned.

Looking at each bike he noticed there was a key difference with the one closest to him, it was adorned with all sorts of threatening looking ornaments and flair. He figured this must be the leader's bike which meant it was his prime candidate for blatant vandalism.

Looking around himself he found a perfectly serviceable rock that fit nicely into his hand, it had a jagged edge which lent itself brilliantly to making creative changes to a certain bike. Basically, he was going to smash the lights and scratch the shit out of it.

He started his work, swinging the rock solidly into the large headlamp at the front and smiling with satisfaction as it smashed easily. Next he began liberally running the sharpest point of the rock over the shiny and obviously well maintained surface of the vehicle which got the reaction Ash was looking for, an alarm. Noticing the movement from inside Ash tossed the rock, now getting a look at the thugs for the first time, and made a point of dusting his hands of and looking at the bike as if admiring a work of art.

"Now, I don't want to brag, but I really think I've done something special here. I call it 'Irony'. What do you think?" Ash said, gesturing to the now thoroughly vandalised bike. Of the 5 faces Ash could see there was a common theme of anger and outrage, but none more so than the man in the middle with red hair and tattoos covering his arms. He looked positively furious and Ash wouldn't be surprised if he started frothing at the mouth. Sizing him up Ash figured he had the advantage, if only just, but the odds didn't look good.

' _Must be the leader...'_ Ash realised.

"You…" The man growled, his breathing becoming heavier by the second, "You little…" The man seemed to have trouble forming words as his eyes tracked over his bike, his posture becoming more and more tense as he noticed each new addition or modification. "You're dead. We were going to leave without doing any real damage, but this changes that. You. Are. Dead. You hear me?!" The lead thug raged, his eyes now wild and focused solely on Ash. So focused, he didn't notice the remaining customers from the shop slipping out behind him, his cronies didn't seem interesting on stopping them either, all their attention on Ash.

Ash remained silent, giving the customers, and specifically Kylie and Jim time to get away. He tracked them out of the corner of his eye and felt some of the anxiety he had been feeling fade away.

' _Alright. First priority accomplished, next up is getting out of here with my bones intact...'_

Ash was confident in his abilities but squaring off against a group of thugs was pushing reasonable behaviour, he would almost certainly be injured and that would have an unacceptable effect on his Mum. No, he would have to deal with this differently.

"So, now that its just us, any chance you guys fancy just riding on out of here?" Ash asked, as though they were all friends.

The thugs didn't respond, only taking a few menacing steps forward.

' _So much for diplomacy, time for a new plan...'_

"Unfriendly bunch aren't you. You should know Professor Oak is on his way, he happens to be a close friend of the family. You've heard of him right?" Ash said, hoping his bluff would delay them. He knew Gary would have told his grandfather about the situation but he had no idea where the man was, hopefully either he or Mankey would turn up in time.

The lead thug paused mid step, his eyes narrowed as they glanced around like he was worried something would jump out of nowhere. "That old fossil? He's ancient, what's he going to do? Lecture us out of town?" The thug and his cronies laughed, though to Ash it sounded just a little forced.

Despite their bravado the thugs halted their advance, muttering amongst themselves about cutting their losses. From what Ash could hear they didn't plan on staying long anyway and were just passing through after being busted by the Viridian Police force.

From a safe distance a crowd of spectators had formed which also included the rescued customers. Kylie watched as Ash faced down the trouble makers and was getting increasingly worried. Ash looked to be in real trouble, surely Professor Oak was on his way? _'Please don't get hurt Ash…!'_

"Alright, I've decided, we're getting out of here..." The leader said, his eyes taking on a wicked glint as he focused on Ash, "...Right after I've taught this prick a lesson! Get out here Growlithe!" He shouted, throwing a Pokeball which erupted in a bright white light. As it faded Ash saw there was now a small orange dog-like Pokemon standing before him on all fours, its teeth bared and a growl coming from its throat. The Pokemon then relaxed however after noticing there were no other Pokemon about, turning its gaze back to its owner for instructions.

Kylie was now bordering on all out panic as she watched the fire-type Pokemon released in front of her friend. _'Someone help! Please…!'_

' _Ah shit...'_ Ash thought to himself. _'Could really use a bit of help right now…!'_

Just then a figure dropped down from above, its white fur bristling and a low, threatening growl emanating from its body. Mankey had arrived at last.

Ash could have sunk to the floor in relief, though he managed to remain outwardly calm for appearances sake. Kylie had no such restraint and plummeted down, happy that Ash was going to be OK.

The thugs flinched at Mankey's appearance, their bravado disappearing altogether. The situation had changed drastically from teaching some wannabe hero a lesson into a potentially long, drawn out Pokemon battle which would leave them extremely vulnerable to the authorities or Professor Oak. It didn't help that the Mankey looked _pissed_.

Ash stepped forward and knelt beside his Pokemon, placing a hand atop his head. "Hey buddy, nice of you to show up." He greeted, an easy grin on his face. Mankey looked back to him and chattered happily, before turning back to the enemies in front of him. He was on full alert.

"Listen pal, I need you to take it easy on Growlithe." Ash said quietly. He saw his Pokemon look at him in question and continued, "I have a feeling his trainer is pretty shitty. It's not the Pokemon's fault." Ash finished and Mankey nodded in understanding. The monkey Pokemon had heard from a lot of the Pokemon at Oak's ranch about their own trainers and some were certainly better than others. This guy must be one of the worst ones.

"What the fuck is that? Where'd he come from!?" The lead thug yelled, not at all happy with this new development.

"He's a friend. If you're going to attempt to teach me a lesson I'd appreciate you getting on with it. I've got things to do."

"Well look who grew a pair now that the furball showed up. Growlithe, blast that chimp with Ember!"

"Keep moving Mankey, wait for my signal and end it in one attack." Ash said, his voice low enough so only Mankey could hear. His Pokemon leapt forward, strafing from side to side to avoid the oncoming flames.

Despite Growlithe's best efforts Mankey was too slippery a target which infuriated the red-headed thug. "Come on you stupid mutt, hit the target!" He roared, any pretence of restraint going out the window.

Ash narrowed his eyes at the display but remained focused.

Seeing a ranged attack wasn't going to work the thug changed tactics. "Growlithe, Take Down!"

Ash waited as the Growlithe began charging forward, and only when it was fully committed did he speak. "Mankey, side step and knock it out."

Mankey did as asked, letting the charging Growlithe blunder past him before dashing forward and landing a solid kick into the Pokemon's vulnerable under-belly. The effect was immediate and the fire-type was thrown to the side before crumpling to the floor, a low whimper coming from its defeated form.

"You useless animal, what the hell was that!" The thug screamed as he charged forward, his eyes dangerously wild and his fists clenched.

Ash watched with growing disgust as the murderous man approached his Pokemon. The thug looked ready to kill, and if he got his hands on that Growlithe Ash was sure what would happen. He dashed forward, putting himself between the man and his target. "Enough. You lost, get out of here." Ash said calmly, any hint of his light-hearted nature gone.

"Like hell, I need to teach my Pokemon what happens when it fails. Get out of my way." The thug growled, looking like he was very willing to go through Ash.

"That's enough!"

Everyone froze, their heads whipping around to see where this new voice had come from. A stark difference of reactions spread across the faces of those fighting.

Relief and happiness for Ash.

Dawning realisation and fear from the thugs.

"Professor! Gary!" Ash shouted in relief.

Professor Oak was standing there with his arms crossed, a very angry look on his face. Beside him was his grandson Gary, who threw a thumbs up to Ash which was returned. While the Professor could certainly inspire a degree of nervousness, outright fear was a little beyond him. No, that was accomplished by the massive Kangaskhan standing behind him, looking menacingly at the offending thugs.

Unsurprisingly, it didn't take long to resolve the situation.

* * *

A/N: Not massively happy with how this turned out but it'll do.


	7. Chapter 7

Ash lay in bed fully clothed, exhausted after the long day of tests followed by the adrenaline pumping trouble with the now arrested biker gang. It was late evening and he'd just finished dinner with his mother and Kylie who he had invited over to make up for missing out on the celebratory ice cream. She was pretty shaken up from the experience, but his mother had been able to calm her down and they'd been able to have an enjoyable meal.

It was very soon after the Professor appeared that all thoughts of rebellion left the thug's heads and they surrendered, even the hot-headed leader. He had tried to return Growlithe to his Pokeball as though he hadn't been about to commit blatant abuse of his Pokemon. Ash had been able to stop him, restraining his arm and taking the Pokeball from him. The look of restrained fury Ash gave drove any thoughts of retaliation out of the thug's mind. Luckily, it seemed he was thinking a bit clearer and simply glared before backing off to join his lackeys.

Professor Oak got the rundown from Ash before he had the thugs restrained and put a call in to the Viridian Police force about what had occurred and that a prisoner transport would be needed.

Ash had asked Gary to take a look at Growlithe's injuries who had been both shocked and angered to find signs of abuse on Growlithe's body, though Ash had unfortunately expected it. The Professor agreed to take Growlithe back his lab for treatment and possible rehabilitation or release, depending on how affected the now orphaned Pokemon was.

After the thugs had been marched away under the watchful eye of Professor Oak's Kangaskhan, Ash had been able to meet back up with Kylie. She had been upset so he had tried to give her what comfort he could. He realised she must have been very scared and hoped he'd be able to help her get over the traumatic experience. After she had calmed down Ash invited her over for dinner, saying he wanted to make up for being late to which she had gladly agreed.

He had also found Jim hanging around, the boy looking a little roughed up but no real injuries. Ash learned about what he'd done and tried to give the timid boy some encouragement, telling him he did good and that he should be proud of helping out his friend. The boy's smile could have lit up a power plant. He had scampered off home after that, declining to join Ash and Kylie for dinner in favour of filling his parents in.

Arriving home he had explained to his mother everything that had happened, ready to receive a verbal thrashing and admonishment but surprisingly she had just taken both him and Kylie into a hug and told them how glad she was they were OK. It was a nice moment and was probably just what Kylie needed, the rest of the dinner was held in good spirits with his mum giving Mankey an extra large serving for being such a big help. Needless to say, Mankey was thrilled.

And now here he was, laying awake and staring at the ceiling, allowing his tired brain to process events at its own pace. A ringing sound drew him from his thoughts and he reached over to get his phone.

"Hello?"

"Ash, hey. It's Gary. Growlithe is going to be alright, he woke up and after we explained what was happening he seemed pretty happy with the situation."

"That's a relief. I was really worried he would fight us for separating him from his trainer. So, what happens now?"

"Not sure yet, he's been well behaved so it wouldn't be a problem to integrate him here at the ranch. Gramps says he hasn't had a chance to study a Growlithe for a while so he's all for it. I was thinking I'd look after him, getting pretty tired of you and Mankey prancing around like you own the place."

Ash laughed before responding, "Oh really? I suppose you are a bit of an improvement over his last trainer, do you think you're finally ready to actually take care of something other than your hair?"

"..."

Ash blinked at the lack of response, "Gary?"

"The abuse was worse than we thought Ash. That... _bastard_ has been treating Growlithe like trash for a long time. He's malnourished, bruised both externally and internally and he shows clear signs of mistrust and fear whenever anyone approaches him. When he woke up earlier he wouldn't stop whimpering. I could _kill_ that rotten son of a bitch." The anger colouring Gary's words were a shock to Ash, he had never heard his friend so work up.

"I'm going to help him Ash. I'm going to show him what a proper trainer is, as much as I can at least before it's official." Gary finished, a rare note of compassion clear in his voice.

Ash was momentarily stunned as he processed Gary's sincere decision.

' _Well what do you know...'_

"That's...wow Gary, I didn't think you had it in you. But I fully support it, I know you'll be able to help him and together you'll make a good team. He's got nothing on Mankey though." Ash couldn't help throw a jab at his oldest friend.

Gary scoffed. "Keep telling yourself that monkey boy. By the time we leave this town Growlithe will be a picture of health and vitality. I've gotta go Ash, things to do. Smell ya later."

"Later."

Ash placed his phone down, still a little stunned at having a genuine conversation about something serious with Gary.

' _Figures it would take something like this for Gary to grow up...'_

Before he could even put his phone down, it buzzed once more, signalling a message.

[Ash I just heard you were involved with the trouble in Pallet town, are you alright!?]

' _Oh, right, probably should have checked in with Jessica...'_

[Hey Jess, yeah I'm fine. We all got out without too much trouble luckily.]

[I was so angry when I heard! I told my boss to send a patrol over but he didn't even give me the time of day! You were right in the middle of it though, you're really OK?]

Unbeknownst to Ash, Jessica was slightly underplaying exactly what had occurred between her and her boss. Suffice to say she was able to get across the depth of her anger at having her suggestion being previously ignored.

[Try not to get fired over arguing with your boss ;) I really am OK Jess. I had to run interference for a couple of friends who got mixed up in the trouble but I had an escape plan ready.]

Ash chose to tactically withhold the fact that his plan had been to turn and bolt.

[You better have had one. Listen I just wanted to check in so I don't have much time, good night Ash!]

[Alright, night Jess.]

Placing his phone on his cabinet he went to his desk and sat down, looking through his window he could see the moon high in the sky lighting up his peaceful town. He was still really tired, but somehow he knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep right now.

' _I need something to do...'_

Ash glanced around his room, looking for something to distract him. School was done so he didn't have any homework and he wasn't in the mood for a book. TV and games were out, too much noise. That didn't leave many options. And then a thought struck him.

Pushing his chair out he reached over to one of his drawers and withdrew a stack of paper filled with rough drawings and notes along with some pencils. He arranged everything in front of him and smiled.

' _It's really starting to shape up.'_ Ash thought as he looked at the map he and Kylie had been working on.

They had started up on it soon after their first outing, Kylie had mapped out a rough sketch of the town, the forests and Route 1. In order to keep a sense of scale the paper had been divided into squares, with each square being roughly 1 square kilometre. Over the past year they had met regularly, discussing how to represent terrain or what landmarks to include. It had soon become apparent Ash didn't have much skill in the art department and it had been up to Kylie to draw the symbols and Pokemon in their correct locations.

As it looked now the map was quite detailed, though there wasn't any colour and there were clearly areas that hadn't been filled in at all. Many Pokemon had been plotted, some being very common and a few only being seen in one specific place. Ash smiled as he looked over the cartoonish smiling faces Kylie had elected to give all her drawings, Ash thought it looked particularly good on the Fearow.

His current task was to add some detail to one of their recently added locations. They had come up with a few symbols which they would use to annotate landmarks to denote important information such as terrain, Pokemon habitat and Pokemon aggression level. Ash and Kylie had ventured to all these places and the Pokemon they had encountered had ranged from welcoming to hostile.

Ash began his work oblivious to the passage of time, the moon's light bright enough for him to see by until eventually sleep took him. It was fortunate, he thought as he slipped into unconsciousness, that there was nothing he had to do tomorrow.

Kylie Turner awoke from a very pleasant dream, the details of which completely eluded her. With a big stretch she forced herself to get out of bed, flinging the covers off and swinging her feet down to the floor.

The chirping birds and the faint smell of breakfast wafting up from the kitchen were plenty to goad her into action and she went about her room tidying up and preparing what she would need for the day. That done, she went through the motions of showering and dressing before coming to stand in front of her desk, looking down on a carefully wrapped package that had been sitting there for several days.

Once more she gingerly picked up the slim, rectangular item wrapped in a paper that was coloured deep blue with silver lines running across it in intricate patterns. She checked it over, making sure nothing was torn or crumpled in any way before nodding to herself and sliding it into her bag.

The package, and its contents, was something she had spent a lot of time and effort on, something which she would be giving as a gift to a person that was very dear to her. Of course, just quite _how_ dear to her had been dragged into sharp focus the previous night. And now, Kylie just didn't know what to do.

Did she ignore the new feelings? Did she confess them? Certainly there were less risks with the former, things were perfectly fine with how they were and throwing a spanner in the works now could potentially make their last year together awkward and miserable.

That thought frightened her terribly.

But then, what if she confessed and her feelings were returned? It would be incredible, although not a lot would change since she saw him so often already. Plus, they would only have, at most, a year and that was only if things didn't go pear-shaped within that time period. She knew she couldn't handle a long-distance relationship, not knowing what he was up to and worrying about him all the time.

With a resolute breath, she made her decision. She would make the most of the time she had left with her friends and not throw things into flux. Perhaps...in the future, when their path's crossed, things could be different?

Kylie let her thoughts wonder on that pleasant possibility for a moment before, with a wistful sigh, she collected her bag and headed downstairs to begin her day.

Delia Ketchum happily hummed to herself as she whisked the pancake batter in a large bowl, keeping an eye on the clock while she did so. It had been a long time since she had cooked pancakes for breakfast but she knew they were an old favourite of her son's and since today was special she decided to go all out. Yes, today was Ash's birthday.

Neither she nor Ash had brought up the subject, partly because he was so focused on exams and partly because she was looking forward to launching his surprise party and so the less he thought about it the better. She had asked Kylie and Gary to come by today to keep him out of the house which would give her plenty of time to get everything prepared. Glancing at the clock again she figured she had about an hour till they arrived.

Placing the batter to the side, Delia placed a pan on the stove and let the heat gently warm it until it was ready to melt the butter. Truth be told, Delia's mind was conflicted at present, largely due to the events of the previous day. Those thugs could have done some real damage to Ash and his friends and it was only good fortune that Mankey had been able to get there in time and then Professor Oak arriving shortly afterwards.

Having something like that happen brought certain things into sharp relief for Delia, namely the fact that Ash was likely to face such people many times throughout his journey. Pallet Town was renowned for being peaceful; there was no gym here, no tourist attractions, there wasn't even a Pokemon Centre! Admittedly, having Professor Oak here was a big deal, but he deterred troublemakers more than anything due to his reputation he had when he was a trainer.

Seeing the butter had melted into yellowy liquid Delia began pouring the first load of batter into the pan, gently spreading the mixture evenly across the base. Delia had known what her son's ambition was for a long time, but knowing it and seeing it were two different things. The problem was, she didn't know what to do about it.

On one hand, she wanted to support Ash in his dreams. He had been on this particular path for a long time now so she knew it wasn't simply childish whimsy. On the other hand, could she really continue to encourage her son in walking into guaranteed danger? If she didn't, it would be forcing him to give up on his dream and Delia was terrified of causing irreparable damage to their relationship if she did such a thing.

But...there was another angle to this. She trusted her son. He was young, but he was mature and responsible. She had seen the way he had grown up, the way he had reigned in his impulses, the way he had cared for Mankey and the way he had put his all into everything he set his mind to. She trusted that he would prepare himself for the dangers of life outside their little town.

That, more than anything else put her at ease. Of course, there would always be anxiety for her only son while he travelled but knowing that he wasn't the same unfocused dreamer who would charge forward no matter what did a great deal to reassure her.

Flipping the final pancake onto a plate Delia switched off the heat and towelled off her hands while she appraised the mighty stack of perfectly cooked delights she had produced.

A tense moment of examination passed, the mother of one ruthlessly appraising the pile.

"..."

Yep, she still had it.

With a satisfied nod, she gathered the pancakes onto a large tray, ready for service; not a moment too soon if the sound of footsteps approaching were any indication.

"Good morning sweety! I made pancakes, come and sit down!" Delia called over her shoulder as she prepared Ash's favourite toppings. They had jam, chocolate spread, lemon juice, strawberries and of course good old fashioned sugar.

Her back still turned, she heard a chair being scraped across the tiled floor before being tucked in again. "How did you sleep Ash?"

Turning around she stopped short, blinking in mild surprise at the state of her son. He looked like a zombie. His eyes were half open, his posture slumped and she could see the vaguely vacant expression on his face.

"Ash?" She asked once more, growing mildly concerned.

"Huh?" He replied, jerking up as if he didn't notice her. "Sorry mum, I slept late but still woke up at the normal time. Going to take a while to get going I think." He said, clearly fighting a yawn.

Delia frowned, hopefully he'd still be able to go out for a few hours. If he didn't want to then it would look suspicious of her to put too much pressure on.

"Oh dear. Why don't you eat your breakfast then go and get washed up, that should wake you up properly at least. If worst comes to worst you can get an early night this evening." Delia said, placing the tray in front of him, she was pleased to notice a spark of hunger appear in his eyes as he zeroed-in on the pancakes. Some things never changed.

"Good idea mum, these look fantastic." Ash said, happily lathering his first pancake in chocolate spread and strawberries.

Delia sat opposite her son, her chin resting in the crook of her intertwined fingers. He had grown so much over the last few years and in so many ways. She could still see the young boy Ash used to be, making a mess of a bowl of scrambled eggs and giggling as she tried to wipe down his face. Ah, she would have to get the photo album out for the party, there were so many darling moments she had captured over the years.

"...Hello~? Mum?" A voice called out, bringing her back to the present. She looked up and saw Ash waiting for a response.

"Oh! Sorry dear, I was day dreaming. Are you all finished?" She asked, glancing at his empty plate.

"Yeah, they were fantastic, thanks Mum." Ash said as he circled to her seated position and gave her a hug.

"I'm glad you liked them, now why don't you go get washed and dressed and come back downstairs." Ash sent her a questioning look, but did as she asked.

Watching him leave Delia went about cleaning up the dishes and wiping down the table. That done, she brewed some tea and sat down to wait for her son to return.

' _Oh that's good...'_

Ash thanked whatever divine power invented pressurised hot water as he basked under the flowing stream. He let out a relieved sigh as he felt the fog of a poor nights sleep leave him and went about washing up properly. Even in a blissful moment like this he wasn't one for excessively long showers, no matter how good they may feel.

A few minutes later he was done drying off and he began to dress himself, deciding on a plain white t-shirt, blue jeans and trainers. He grabbed a light-weight navy blue jacket off the back of his door too figuring it might get chilly out later. Glancing back as he opened his door he spotted Mankey still snoring away on top of his wardrobe, totally content to take an indulgent lie-in.

' _Lazy git...'_ Ash thought fondly as he exited his room. He wasn't surprised at his partner's extended nap, he had stuffed himself silly the previous night and would need more time to sleep it off.

Hopping off the final step he swung around the banister and headed for the kitchen, wondering what he should do with his day.

"Feeling better?" His mother asked as he joined her at the table.

"Much better. It was just what I needed."

His mother nodded, placing her tea down. They sat there in silence for a few moments, listening to the chirping of the birds flitting about outside in the morning sun.

"Ash."

He turned to his mother, curious at the change in her tone. "Yeah?"

"I'd like to talk about what happened yesterday."

"Oh, right."

' _She's probably still worried...'_ Ash thought.

"I'm not mad at you for what happened, in fact I'm proud. You looked out for your friends while doing your best to stay out of danger yourself. I'm glad that you were able to act with restraint, even in such a stressful situation. I'm sure that if you were still younger you would have charged in without a second thought and probably got hurt."

"Aw, come on mum. I didn't used to be that bad, did I?" Ash scratched his head in embarrassment.

Delia raised a delicate eyebrow.

"...Maybe you're right."

"I am. But that isn't all I wanted to say. Ash...this won't be the last time and...I'm concerned."

"Concerned? Those thugs are long gone mum, there's no way they'll bother Pallet Town again."

"Not about them sweety, about you. Pallet Town will be alright, it's fairly well looked after all things considered. But the rest of the world...that's a whole different story. And when you leave me...when you go on your adventure, you'll be in danger."

Ash listened as his mother spoke and found himself feeling exactly as he had when he had first brought Mankey home. The guilt from that time reared its ugly head once more and Ash lowered his gaze, realising he had once more made his mother worry. He knew this situation wasn't the same, she had said as much and Ash knew he had acted as safely as he could, considering the situation. But still, here they were again.

Delia placed a hand over her son's.

"Ash, is it still your goal to leave Pallet Town?"

"Yeah...it is. I'm sorry to worry you mum, but the truth is...I know that there will be more like them. I wish I could follow my dream without worrying you, but it just isn't possible."

Ash spoke with his head bowed, but he didn't waver as he voiced his intention. He would do anything he could to reassure his mother, from learning extra subjects to promising to call or message her every day. He was aware of a lot of the troubles he would face on his journey both from his school work and his time spent out in the wild; he was confident that he would be well prepared by the time it came for him to leave.

"But I promise you, I'm not just blindly following my dream. I'm going to be prepared."

Ash met his mother's watery gaze and saw the parade of emotions clear as day. Fear, doubt and anxiety were there but there was also happiness, pride and acceptance. Ash hated putting his mother through this, but knew that the implications of leaving Pallet Town had finally become real, for both of them. If she accepted his decision here and now, he knew she would continue to support him in the future.

They sat there for a few moments longer, before a choked sob escaped Delia's lips and she gave a shaky nod. "Okay Ash. If you're still sure, even after everything that happened."

Ash had already moved to kneel beside her seat. "I am mum. Thank you for understanding." He held her hand and let her take some comfort from him, until her emotions were once again under her control.

"Well, that was harder than I thought it would be!" Delia's voice was loud and cheerful, but Ash could hear an undercurrent of fragility, "But you better have meant what you said young man, I'm going to want _constant_ updates when you leave. Understood?" She fixed him with a stern glare.

Ash didn't realise just quite how badly he wanted his mother's mood to improve and so the relieved chuckle that slipped out took him by surprise. Still, he was glad.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Delia's gave him a searching look for a few more moments before nodding once more. "Alright then, I trust you Ash. Give it everything you have when the time comes."

"You bet."

"Now, I need to go and get cleaned up. I must look a mess," Delia giggled as she stood up, "Be right back!" She sang as went back upstairs.

Ash watched her go, reaffirming his resolve to take care of himself. He had people who cared about him, and there was no way he'd worry them for no reason.

' _Just one more year...'_

It was a little while later while Ash and his mum were chatting in the living room when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Ash said as he rocked himself to his feet and made his way over to the door.

"Good Morning!"

Ash jumped backwards in shock as he was met with the beaming face of Kylie, with his other friends standing behind her watching in amusement.

"Jeez Kylie, volume control, I'm barely even awake right now..." Ash grumbled, before his expression softened. "Didn't expect to see you this early, how're you feeling?"

"I'm alright, I've had a chance to calm down now. Sorry if I was a little bit hysterical yesterday." Kylie said, glancing to the side.

Ash chuckled, "You were fine, I'd be more surprised if you had just brushed it off honestly. So, what's up guys?"

"Oh, don't let us interrupt, we don't mind waiting." Gary waved him off, his voice laden with dry sarcasm.

"Right? 2/10 for that reaction Ash." Lenny chimed in.

" _Excuse_ me for showing concern about a friend," Ash turned back to Kylie, "Maybe we should just ditch these losers?"

Kylie took a thinking pose, "Hmm, very tempting. Though I did want to hear about Growlithe..."

"Ah yeah, a fair point. Alright, you lot get a pass." Ash declared, greatly enjoying the reactions of Gary, Jim and Lenny.

Before they could respond, a voice called from within the house, "Who's at the door honey?"

Kylie charged straight past Ash before he could respond and entered his home, ignoring his indignant complaints.

"Hi Mrs. Ketchum, we're stealing Ash for a while!" And with that, turned around and grabbed Ash's arm to pull him away, "Bye Mrs. Ketchum!"

"Kylie wait-!"

"Okay everyone, have fun! Stay out of trouble!" Delia called out, catching Kylie's eye as she dragged a very reluctant Ash away. The two shared a wink, before Delia stepped back inside. She had a party to prepare.

The five friends soon found themselves strolling around Pallet Town, chatting amongst themselves about whatever topic happened to be brought up. At the moment, it was why Ash was so tired.

"Was it because of all the drama yesterday? I know my adrenaline was still pumping for hours afterwards!" Jim said, the boy almost hopping up and down.

Ash was glad to see Jim so excited to talk about it, it seemed pushing past his fear and anxiety had done him some good. Hopefully the bolstered confidence would last a little while.

"Hmm, not exactly. After heading up to bed I just spent some time on the phone, then afterwards it just felt like I couldn't sleep."

"So what did you end up doing?" Lenny asked.

"Worked on the map, the one me and Kylie were creating. I'm not even sure how long for, I fell asleep at the desk."

"Oh, what parts were you working on? I hope you didn't mess with my drawings!"

Ash help up his hands to calm the girl down, "Don't worry, I was just filling in some of the background information. We know I'm useless with the artwork."

"Okay. I still have some of your earlier attempts, they always crack me up." Kylie laughed.

"Were they that bad?"

"Believe me Lenny, they are a perfect example of how _not_ to draw something." She said while slapping Ash on the back and shaking her head, her ponytail dangling from side-to-side.

They all laughed at Ash's expense, not that he minded. Kylie wasn't even exaggerating with her descriptions, even though he'd actually put a decent amount of effort into improving.

Eventually they came across a cafe with outdoor seating and decided to sit down and enjoy each other's company. Those who hadn't eaten breakfast ordered a light snack and everyone else opted for something cold to drink to counter the rising heat of the morning.

"What about you Gary, how's Growlithe?" asked Ash as he sipped on his drink.

Gary took a moment before answering, "Physically, he'll recover quickly. Pokemon tend to heal a lot faster than a human would with similar injuries, but it's his mental health that's concerning."

The others nodded along, all but Lenny having seen the state that Growlithe was in.

"That sort of trauma wont go away without persistent care and treatment, something we intend to provide. Gramps has seen cases like this before, and he said the recovery time can vary wildly based on things like how long the abuse lasted and how supportive the new environment is."

"If there's anything we can do to help, let us know OK?" Kylie offered, everyone else voicing their support.

"Of course, I'll find some way to make you lot useful." Gary smirked.

' _And there it is...'_ Everyone had a similar thought running through their head.

"I hope Growlithe's personality doesn't become corrupted." Ash mused.

"Oh, good point Ash. It would be a shame if he ended up like Gary." Agreed Lenny, nodding his head as though he was imparting great wisdom.

Gary just scoffed and went back to his drink.

"But it's weird huh? How Pokemon take on the traits of people they spend time around?" Jim began with enthusiasm.

Ash titled his head, prompting Jim to continue.

"You guys must have seen it, like how Mankey will sometimes scratch his head in the same way Ash does?"

Ash looked thoughtful for a moment. It was true Mankey had taken some of his mannerisms, but he'd never really paid much attention.

"Hey, yeah you're right. So that means Growlithe really is in danger!" Kylie shot to her feet, attracting the attention of more than a few people passing by. Gary just rolled his eyes at her theatrics while Ash laughed.

"I think it's best if we all keep an eye out for him." Lenny said.

Everyone agreed in solidarity, while Gary just grumbled about 'Not being _that_ bad.'

A couple of hours passed by as the group spent their morning at the cafe. Lenny demanded a full retelling of the previous day's drama from each person's point of view as he felt 'left out of all the action' as he put it. Gary told the group about how much of a hassle it was, Kylie and Jim talked about how scared they were and Ash took some pleasure in talking about how he got away with smashing up the gang leader's motorbike.

Eventually the group decided to split up with Jim needing to go home and help his parents with chores and Lenny having an appointment elsewhere. The three remaining friends said their goodbyes before continuing on their way.

"So, what do you guys want to do now?" Ash asked.

They found themselves walking towards the only real location of interest to three young aspiring Pokemon Trainers, Professor Oak's lab. The streets were busier now, with the market district being open and the school being closed.

"Hmm, we could go to the Ranch, you can check on Growlithe too. It's probably better to go with less people anyway."

"Sounds good, you alright with that Kylie?"

"..."

"Kylie?" Ash stopped and looked over at the girl to find her attention focused on the phone in her hands. Waving a hand in front of the screen he called out again, "Hello~"

"Wah! What!?" Kylie jumped backwards, nearly fumbling the device in her hands before clutching it to her chest.

Ash laughed. "You were zoned out. Are you alright with going to the Ranch?"

"Oh! Yep, that's fine with me." Kylie nodded enthusiastically.

Ash nodded and off they went to spend some time with Professor Oak and the Pokemon he was looking after.

Gary led them through the laboratory area into where Growlithe was staying, he was being kept separate for observation until Professor Oak was certain he was fit to mingle with the other Pokemon in the Ranch. As soon as the three of them approached it was very easy to see the apprehension on the small dog-like Pokemon's face. Its eyes were trained on the group and he almost seemed frozen, but it relaxed when Gary signalled for them to wait and crouched down to approach the newly rescued Pokemon.

Ash watched as Gary slowly approached Growlithe, edging closer to his prone form and offering his hand for Growlithe to sniff at, before gently petting the Pokemon around its neck and ears. Gary certainly hadn't been kidding, even the wild Pokemon who weren't use to humans were rarely this skittish.

"Hey Growlithe, how are you doing today?" Gary asked, using a softer voice than Ash had ever heard. Beside him he heard Kylie smother a surprised gasp, going red in embarrassment when Gary sent her a mild glare.

A low growl of approval rumbled from Growlithe's throat as he enjoyed Gary's petting.

After a little while Gary gave Ash and Kylie the signal to take a seat on some cushions nearby so that Growlithe could get used to them. It took a little bit for Growlithe's wary gaze to soften but eventually he allowed himself to be touched after some gentle encouragement from Gary. To Kylie's delight he seemed to quickly grow affectionate with her and she happily doted on him, tickling his stomach while he rolled about on his back. Ash thought that it might be because she was a girl, and his abuser had been male. That, or Kylie was just naturally more approachable.

They spent some time with Growlithe, chatting away all the while. Gary shared some of the trouble he'd been having with his workload; apparently he had offered to assist his grandfather with his research and Professor Oak had jumped at the offer. Gary had been staying up all night to observe the nocturnal habits of some of the Pokemon in the Ranch and make detailed notes which was exhausting him, but on the plus side he would get accredited when Professor Oak's current paper was published. Both Ash and Kylie were impressed, but tried not to show it since they knew what Gary's ego was like.

Kylie once more launched into her advertising spiel about the Football team she had started a few weeks into their first year. Thus far, both Ash and Gary had managed to avoid joining permanently, though they had occasionally played the odd game. It wasn't that either of them didn't enjoy the sport, they just didn't care enough about it to devote all their time to it, a fact which Kylie had taken as a personal insult. In her mind, it was only a matter of time until they caved. The team was doing well regardless of their presence however, so Ash didn't need to worry about being guilt-tripped into it.

By the time they left Growlithe he had warmed up considerably, becoming more playful and energetic. His mood dimmed when he realised they were leaving but all of them promised to be back to visit again, with Gary planning to return that evening.

It was now breaking into the afternoon and the heat had reached its highest point for the day, a fact that became apparent to the trio as they exited the main building into the Ranch outside.

"Looks like I didn't need a jacket after all..." Ash said as he slung it over his shoulder.

"No kidding, even in shorts and a vest I'm baking." Agreed Kylie as she fanned her face in vain.

"Jeez, you guys need to toughen up. Come on, there's some shade over there to protect your delicate skin." Gary said as he led the way.

"I guess now that we aren't with Growlithe he's back to normal..." Kylie whispered to Ash and they shared a laugh.

They soon found themselves under the shelter of a large tree, the thickly clumped foliage providing ample shade. A small distance away the gentle babbling of the stream could be heard and created a relaxing atmosphere as all three of them reclined on the soft grass.

"This...is the life." Ash let out a deep breath as he felt his body relax, he knew he could easily doze off thanks to his lack of sleep the night before.

"You're not wrong. Just need a cold drink and it'd be perfect...hey Ash, be a pal and go grab me one." Gary said from his right side.

"Not a chance, I'm way too comfy."

Gary sighed. "Worth a shot," A pause, "...say, Kylie, you're a much better friend than Ash-"

"Your flattery is noted and appreciated, however I am very much with Ash on this one." Kylie's voice replied from Ash's left side.

Ash cracked an eye open to see that Kylie was laying a little closer to him than he realised, but he didn't mind. He figured it could still be a remnant of the fear she felt yesterday, and found some comfort from him. If that was the case he was happy to help.

"And you call yourselves friends." Gary complained.

"Yep." / "Yep."

A beat of silence followed the synchronised response, as if each of them wasn't entirely sure they had heard that correctly before the tension cracked and three peals of bubbly laughter broke out, drifting across the open fields of Professor Oak's Ranch.

"Ash..."

"Nn..."

"Ash."

"..."

"Wake up, lazy bones."

Consciousness returned to Ash as he felt a dull throb from his ribs, his body instinctively contorting to shield them. His eyes began to open, before clamping back down against the glittering sunlight peeking through the canopy above. He brought a hand up to ward against the invasive glare and spotted the dark shape of Gary a small distance away; he was standing up straight doing some stretches, did he fall asleep as well? That just left…

"Finally up?"

Ash looked to his other side and was met with Kylie's amused smile, her body laying sideways to face him.

"Yeah, I'm up. How long was I out for? And did you poke me in the ribs?" Ash asked as he pulled himself up into a sitting position.

"Not long, about half an hour. I didn't even notice you were asleep until about ten minutes ago and figured I'd let you rest. And of course not, I'm not that cruel." Kylie explained.

Ash nodded, before a jaw-cracking yawn escaped from his mouth. "Ah, wow. I guess I needed that, thanks Kylie."

"You're welcome, I didn't even mess with you, kept Gary away as well. You can owe me one for that." She declared, looking proud of herself.

Ash chuckled. "I will be forever grateful."

"As you should, but now it's time to go." Kylie said as she pushed herself to her feet and began wiping the stray bits of grass from her shorts. "I think it's about time we got you home if you're that tired."

Ash was about to respond, but then he considered that going home didn't sound like the worst idea. He wasn't feeling all that tired, especially not after that nap but relaxing indoors sounded nice.

"Maybe you're right." Ash agreed as he got up as well. The two of them walked towards where Gary had been waiting for them across the field.

"Finally woke the sleeping princess?" Gary teased.

"Yep, only took an elbow to the ribs." Kylie agreed.

"You..." Ash began, sending a tired glare at Kylie whose only response was to stick her tongue out, "Ah, my friends are so mean..." The others laughed as Ash slumped in defeat.

As they walked Ash spoke up. "Oh yeah, where's your grandad Gary? I didn't see him on the way in."

"Oh, he's out in the field somewhere probably." Gary replied while waving his hand in a dismissively.

"That sucks, guess we'll have to say hello another time."

Gary and Kylie shared a knowing glance and the three continued on their way.

A little while later they were on the familiar pathway leading to his home. He wondered if Mankey would be up for some exercise before they gave up for the day and became vegetables. Now that he thought about it, maybe he'd have to drag Mankey out of bed, he might have still be sleeping all that food off.

Ash inserted his key into the lock on the front door, turning to talk to his friends as he pushed it open, "Hey, you guys want to come-"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

A deafening, multi-layered cheer erupted from within his house and it was so startling that he didn't immediately grasp the actual content of what was said. Ash whipped back around to face the source and his mind went blank.

In front of him was pretty much everyone he knew, including the family of his friends and even a couple of teachers. Draped above the smiling and laughing faces was a fancy red banner that read 'Happy 14th Birthday Ash!' in shiny writing.

His mind scrambled to process this new and unexpected information, analysing it, deconstructing it and verifying it before coming to an inescapable conclusion.

It was his birthday, and he'd entirely forgotten.

Rallying, his mind prepared the only response it could on such short notice.

"...Huh?"

* * *

A/N: Hello again, been a while. Not much to say about the story, kind of just ploughing through to get Ash out of Pallet Town. Let me know what you think.

I hesitate to say this, but the next chapter shouldn't take anywhere near as long.


	8. Chapter 8

Ash was in a bit of a daze as he was carted around by his mother, greeting everyone and receiving their best wishes for his birthday.

How did this happen? How had he managed to completely forget his birthday?

Well, alright. He knew _how_ , he'd been focused on his exams and had perhaps let that focus occupy too much of his attention, but still. It seemed unbelievable to him.

A familiar couple approached him, the portly man moving in to shake Ash's hand.

"Good to see you Ash, you're growing into a fine young man!"

"Thank you sir, It's good to see you again." Ash responded, keeping a firm grip while his hand was enthusiastically dragged up and down.

Ash liked Kylie's parents, they were always good to spend a bit of time with, but her father _always_ seemed to do his best to tear his arm off. Kylie had told him that he had done a lot of sports in his younger days but an injury had cut his activities short. Ash was a bit leery of that version of events, the man had a strong grip.

"Oh my, fourteen already! Soon you'll be away on your journey. You must come join us for dinner some time soon!" Kylie's mother swooped in, embracing Ash as she always did in a happy hug.

"Mum!" Kylie hissed, a hand coming up to her face in embarrassment.

' _Every single time.'_ Ash thought as he accepted the embrace. Kylie and her mother had this little back and forth each time and Ash was certain the mother was enjoying it.

Ash moved on from the Turners, leaving Kylie to complain to her mother and receive nothing but amused laughter from both her parents. He dropped in and out of conversations, greeting everyone and catching up with them, thanking them for coming and occasionally accepting gifts which his mother thankfully took to store for later.

"So this is where you were Professor." Ash said as he approached the oldest person at the party, the man helping himself to one of the home-made cupcakes laid out.

"Ah yes, Gary let me know the three of you dropped by the lab earlier. Sorry about that, I offered to help your mother set up." Oak responded, his eyes closing in delight as he took a bite of a baked treat.

"I bet. And I'm sure that had nothing to do with having a few extra cupcakes before the other guests arrived?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

The Professor simply chuckled as he savoured his treat. "Guilty as charged Ash, but you know how wonderful a cook your mother is. How could I resist?"

Ash had to agree, and deliberating on having one himself, decided to take the plunge. It _was_ his birthday after all, right?

* * *

The sounds of raucous laughter and merry banter echoed around the Ketchum home as the party thrived into the evening. Music had started up at some point, a full sound-system appearing as if by magic, no doubt prepared by one Delia Ketchum.

Ash suspected his mother – who by that point was _very_ merry – because she immediately dragged him over to dance. Embarrassed as he was by his mother's antics, he would be lying if he said it wasn't lots of fun as all the parents around them followed his mother's lead. Seeing Jim being dragged around by his own mother was fantastically entertaining, not least because of how red the shy boy's face ended up getting. He also briefly saw Kylie being whirled around by her father, fighting to keep the smile off her face as she desperately pretended she wasn't enjoying it.

The food his mother had prepared had been a smash hit. All around the house were empty serving trays, only fragments and crumbs left over, a testament to his mother's skill. Ash had spotted Mankey helping himself some time earlier, craftily making his way between chatting guests as he smuggled his fruity contraband back upstairs. It was enough to leave Ash and his friends in tears seeing how serious the normally playful Pokemon had looked. It was only after he had calmed down that he voiced his concern about Mankey making a mess, which only led to his friends laughing once again, this time at him. He had huffed in annoyance, insisting that they hadn't seen the monkey Pokemon pig-out. Their laughter had only increased, but Kylie had given him a reassuring pat on the back.

Most of his friends had gotten him gifts. They ranged from simple trinkets, all the way up to good quality equipment that would be invaluable when he left town. His mother had taken most of them away, storing for him to look through later, but for his closest friends he had opened them immediately.

Jim had gotten him an encyclopedia of Bug-type Pokemon, the depth of information contained within stunning Ash as he looked through it. He liked to think he had a pretty good general knowledge, but a specialised book like this would be very helpful, especially with all the forests in the area. Lenny had surprised him when he presented a fantastic travel-cookware set; it contained all sorts of useful cutlery and containers with which to cook as well as a light-weight gas stove. While his skills in cooking were still mediocre, Ash could already see the huge amount of variety such a selection would allow. Each piece was designed with travel in mind as well, taking up minimal space while being surprisingly light-weight. As strong as Ash was, carrying the essentials with him on his journey wouldn't be a problem.

Gary had been next and Ash had not been surprised in the slightest at what it was. _"How to be a Pokemon Trainer: For Dummies"_ Ash had read aloud, levelling a flat stare at Gary who only wore a shit-eating grin. He did the same damn thing every year. No, that wasn't strictly true, Gary wasn't _that_ predictable. Instead he picked an equally childish, and it _was_ childish, joke gift to give for each of Ash's birthdays for the last five years. At first it had annoyed him, but now it was just part of the routine.

As the group of friends laughed at Ash and Gary throwing petty insults back and forth, Delia poked her head out into the garden where they had been sitting.

"It's getting late everyone, I think your parents might be looking for you." She called, making sure they had heard before retreating back inside.

Gary was the first to stand, stretching his arms up high as he yawned. "Man, I'm beat. Great party Ash, make sure to read the book, alright? You have over a year to get through it!"

Ash chuckled, able to find the humour in Gary's insults after dealing with them for so long. "Sure thing Gary, maybe I'll get you one when you learn to read."

Gary scoffed before turning on his heel and walking away, holding his hand up in farewell.

Following his departure Jim and Lenny stood as well, the smaller boy practically asleep on his feet. He probably wasn't used to this much activity, Ash realised.

"I'd better make a move as well, my mum was pretty drunk..." Jim said, making the face of a man heading to his doom.

"Same. Well, not the drunk part, but still." Lenny agreed, giving a single wave before exiting the same way as Gary.

Ash stood to return the goodbyes, watching as his two friends retreated back inside.

Stretching once himself, he reclined in his seat, letting his gaze drift up into the night sky. The dark canvas was as expansive as ever, not a single spec of it obstructed by clouds and illuminated by countless little dots of twinkling light.

"It's a beautiful night."

"Sure is." Ash agreed.

Kylie sat in the seat beside him, leaning back and staring up at the sky as well. He had noticed she hadn't made a move to leave, as well as the fact she hadn't given him a gift. He wasn't one to feel entitled, but it had just seemed like out of all the friends Ash had made at school, Kylie would be the one most likely to give him a gift. Still, he certainly wasn't going to ask about it, figuring whatever reasons she had were enough justification.

The two teenagers sat there for a while, tired but still content to let their bodies rest as the comfortable atmosphere descended around them.

"I think...I can see Mankey in the stars." Kylie idly noted.

"Really? Point him out to me." Ash said, leaning over to her.

Kylie obliged, tracing a lazy line across the sky with her finger as Ash followed it, neither minding how close they were.

"You know..." Ash began after she had finished, "I think you're right, nice job spotting it."

"Why, thank you. It's a talent." Kylie replied easily, a grin on her lips.

"I am _very_ envious."

"As you should be." Kylie said, tilting her chin up slightly as if to emphasise her superiority.

The two looked at each other for a moment, both failing miserably to suppress the grins on their lips, before gentle laughter echoed out into the night. The sort of laughter that doesn't really come from particularly good humour, but rather good company.

At last, Kylie seemed to come to a decision and placed her bag onto the table where she began unzipping it. Moments later, she had revealed a package, blue in colour with silver decoration, and handed it over to Ash with a small smile on her face.

"Happy Birthday." She said softly, the words Ash had heard fifty times that night somehow sounding much more genuine.

He accepted the gift, treating it with care as he slowly began unwrapping it. He went about it methodically, unwilling to risk damaging whatever the wrapping paper concealed, until at last the gift was in his hands.

It was a sketchbook, one that opened horizontally with a ring-binder so that you could flip each page over easily. The front cover was entirely dedicated to a breathtaking rendition of Pallet Town in the sunset, brought to life by Pokemon of all different types populating the landscape. There were soaring Pidgeotto swooping through the blue skies, packs of Mankey swinging off power-lines and all sorts of others, both native to the region and from further afield. He had to resist the urge to immediately start looking through the rest of the pictures, instead turning to thank his friend.

"Kylie...this is amazing." Ash said, his voice tinted with both gratitude and awe.

"...You think so?" She asked happily, if a little nervously.

"Of course! You're such a great artist, did you really make a sketchbook just for me?"

"Well, yeah. It's your birthday, after all. I couldn't think of what to get you."

Ash chuckled to himself. " _Couldn't think of what to get me-_ she says, Kylie, this must have taken you ages!"

"It didn't take _that_ long!" Kylie protested, both extremely happy at Ash's reaction and unwilling to reveal just _how_ long it had taken her. Ash didn't need to know it had been a several month project.

"Not sure I believe you. Can I look through the rest of it?" Ash asked, bouncing in his seat with excitement.

Eyes glinting with amusement, she nodded as she shuffled her seat closer so they could look together.

Each image Ash saw was a masterpiece. Not that he had much of an eye for artwork, but he did know one thing: Kylie's works were incredible. The way she brought things to life, both people and Pokemon, was enough to stun him. For each new picture Ash couldn't help but stop and stare, taking the time to just _see_ it. Following that he'd heap praises on Kylie again, who was growing noticeably more flushed with embarrassment. Sometimes he'd comment on the image, recognising the scenery she had brought to life or being vaguely familiar with a technique she had used from his attempts to improve his own drawing ability.

"Oh wow...Arcanine." Ash whispered as they turned the page. On the canvas before him the Fire-type powerhouse took centre stage as it sprinted through a fiery landscape, great wisps of flame framing its powerful stride. In the background Ash could see a volatile landscape, with trails of blazing lava and explosive eruptions cascading into the sky making for an impressive backdrop.

"I really enjoyed this one." Kylie commented, tracing the image with her fingers. "I had so much fun with it, but I basically ran out of red and orange."

Ash chuckled, "Yeah, I bet. Those flames look wild. I'd love to meet an Arcanine one day."

"Well, if Gary's half as good a trainer as he thinks he is, then you will." Kylie replied, smiling.

"Oh yeah, good point. Ugh, but that means Gary will have an Arcanine..." Ash grumbled in realisation.

Kylie gave him a gentle nudge, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get a super cool Pokemon too."

Ash looked at her, horrified, "Hey, I _already_ have a super cool Pokemon. Thank you very much."

Kylie rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean."

Ash let his smile return, mollified as they went back to browsing.

It was as another page turned, and Ash saw the image that he paused. Blinking once, then twice, he spoke. "...This is me?" He asked softly.

Kylie nodded, leaning into him slightly as he appreciated the image.

It was a forest glade. Streams of gentle sunlight pierced through the canopy above, shining down on two figures. There in the centre, asleep against a broad tree trunk, was the image of himself and Mankey, the white-furred Pokemon huddled against his side. Their faces were totally at peace, Ash with a gentle smile and Mankey snoring lightly as if nothing in the world could disturb them.

It was such a strange experience, to see himself portrayed in such a way. The drawing was so accurate, but the feeling that was put into it, the peaceful atmosphere Kylie had tried – and succeeded – in capturing, was incredible. Looking at the drawing, he felt as if he himself was really there, asleep and completely at ease. The sentiment had been portrayed so well that it was affecting him in reality. Then, another thought occurred to him as he recognised the clothes.

He turned to Kylie, "When…?"

"Last month, we were out exploring. I think you had been training with Mankey pretty hard that morning, and by the time I arrived you were already tired," Kylie began, her voice tinted with fond remembrance, "It didn't take long for me to notice, so I suggested we take a break. Before long, you and Mankey had curled up against a tree, deaf to the world. And so I...seized the opportunity. I hope you don't mind." Kylie finished, a little embarrassed as she looked down.

Ash softly laughed in wonder, " _Mind?_ Kylie..." She looked up, her eyes hopeful, "I love it. Really, I do." He said, trying to relay just _how_ happy he was with the picture.

A brilliant, beautiful smile erupted onto Kylie's face, the beaming visage contagious as Ash's own grin mirrored it.

"This is the best present," He began, placing an arm around her as he pulled her into a hug, "Thank you, Kylie."

She returned the embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him close, enjoying the warmth and intimacy. Their embrace lasted for only a little while, to Kylie's secret annoyance, and soon they broke apart still wearing their happy smiles.

"There's one more thing, something I want you to do." Kylie said, as she flipped the page.

To Ash's surprise, this one was blank.

"I want you to fill these in," Kylie said, looking him in the eyes. She noticed his confusion, and continued, "After we all leave, we aren't going to see each other for a while. I want you to draw pictures of your journey, for me." She explained, trying not to let her emotions bubble up to the surface. Thinking of Ash's departure was not a happy subject for her.

Realisation dawned on Ash's face, as he glanced back to the pages. He looked unsure as he replied, "I wouldn't want to ruin the book though, I mean you know how useless I am..."

Kylie shook her head in denial, "Ash, I don't want them because they're good. I want them because they're from _you._ " She explained, embarrassed but intent on getting him to agree.

Ash gulped, his cheeks reddening a bit, before he responded with a smile, "Then I guess...I'll have to get better at drawing before I leave, huh?"

"I mean...it couldn't hurt." She conceded.

"And the truth comes out..." Ash said, letting his head droop in mock-depression.

"Just a joke!" Kylie replied quickly, the two already descending into giggles once more.

The night ended soon after that, Kylie's parents were still waiting for her and couldn't be kept all night. After some brief goodbyes and one more hug Kylie demanded from Ash, much to all present adult's amusement, it was time for the Turners to depart.

As the door closed, and they faded from sight, Ash let out a long sigh. He was truly exhausted, mentally and physically. He could not have picked a worse time to get a poor night's sleep – well perhaps the morning of his departure next year – but that was unlikely to ever happen.

He noted his mother sweeping the floors, and decided to help her, figuring it was the least he could do. If _he_ was tired, then he couldn't imagine how she felt, planning and preparing all this! He had absolutely no idea it was coming, his mother was truly one of a kind.

"You outdid yourself mum, the party was amazing. Everyone loved it." Ash said as he collected another broom and began sweeping from the other end of the living room.

"It was such fun! I haven't let loose in a while, and seeing everyone laughing and smiling together was wonderful. I can't wait till next year!" Delia chirped happily, apparently still riding a bit of a high.

Ash knew his mother had a bit to drink, but it wasn't the alcohol's fault. She was just a really good host, and got a kick out of people enjoying her events.

"Expectations will be high..." Ash said ominously.

"And I'll rise to them! It'll be the last party before you leave..." She had started her sentence with vigour, but trailed off in the second half.

Ash supposed he would have to accept that his mother wasn't going to just be okay with his leaving. Still, it was over a year away. No need to focus on that.

"That just means we'll have to make the most of it, plus it's not like I won't be around for parties after that. We'll be able to celebrate even more with all my prize money!" Ash had big plans for his future, and one of the driving forces behind his desire to win was the wealth it would give him to improve his mother's life. Sure, they were doing alright by themselves, but Ash was sure there were lots of things his mother would like to do if money was no object.

"Oh my! So confident!" Delia teased, a hand resting on her cheek.

"Look forward to it."

Delia just hummed happily, appreciating her son's attempt to cheer her up. She would have to avoid getting too down around him, the last thing she wanted to do was make him feel guilty. There really was no avoiding it though, life without Ash around would be so dull. She'd have her garden to tend, and her friends to catch up with but it wouldn't be the same. Perhaps she could take some part-time courses? Thoughts for later, Delia decided as her son spoke up again.

"You know, Lenny got me some cookware made for travelling. I'll need more lessons over the next year, think you can mould me into a half-decent chef?"

His mother's gaze turned stern. "I absolutely will young man, no son of mine is going travelling around without knowing how to properly feed himself."

Ash chuckled sheepishly, scratching his head. "Right, should have figured you'd say that." His mother took cooking _extremely_ seriously after all.

"Plus," His mother continued, "From the few lessons we've had you are making good progress. I'm certain you'll be ready in time."

"Thanks, mum."

They chatted about little things while they cleaned, moving on from sweeping to collecting dirty dishes before Ash carried the bags full of rubbish outside, ready to be disposed of. The four black sacks, full of plastic cutlery, paper plates and serving trays were a testament to just how much food was prepared for the party. He was secretly hoping there'd be leftovers in the morning, but knowing how good his mother's cooking was it was unlikely.

Returning inside, he gave his mother a hug as he thanked her again for the party, before bidding her goodnight and returning to his room. He _needed_ to sleep, he was going to pass out at this rate.

Stepping inside, he immediately noticed Mankey splayed out on the floor surrounded by banana peels, apple cores and various other bits of fruit. He could only sigh at his partner's contented snoring, realising he had probably spent most of the last thirty six hours asleep. Carefully stepping over the gorged Pokemon, Ash relinquished his t-shirt and wiggled out of his jeans before collapsing on his bed, eagerly embracing the rush of unconsciousness.

* * *

Kylie was in a good mood. It was early morning in Pallet Town and she had decided to go for a stroll, always being one to enjoy the crisp freshness in the air. Getting started early had been a habit of hers for years now, and had only been reinforced after meeting her friends at school. She didn't have any plans right now, dressed casually in her usual sporty style; black leggings, trainers, a sports-vest with a loose pink t-shirt over the top.

It was half-way through the summer vacation, the time flying by as she spent her days playing sports, hanging out with her friends and going trekking with Ash. She was looking forward to school starting up again, the thoughts of whipping the Football team into shape before she left on her journey filling her with determination. She needed to find a replacement captain as well, someone who was – if not her equal – at least reasonably passionate about the sport.

As she walked she couldn't help the small smile that kept pulling at her lips, the memories of Ash's birthday playing over and over again in her head. It had been such an incredible feeling, to have something she put so much effort in be truly appreciated. Others had commented on her art before of course, and she'd had plenty of praise. But from Ash, it just meant a lot more. That sketchbook was probably the best thing she'd ever produced, and she thought that a big part of that was the _reason_ she had made it – as a gift for Ash.

There had been moments then where she had considered confessing, especially after he had just kept praising her and then there had been that hug! She had come really close to just blurting it out. But thankfully she had resisted the urge, knowing that her choice was the right one. There would be time for romance later.

Besides, how would it even work? Once they left there wouldn't be any time to spend together anyway. Sure, they could travel the same Routes for a while, but eventually their differing goals would split them apart. It would be so much harder to leave Ash's side if her feelings had grown even stronger.

Up ahead, she noticed two figures in the distance approaching, their speed indicating they were moving fast. One was a lot smaller than the other, and it was with a smile she realised it was Gary and Growlithe, out for a morning run. Deciding to cheer them on she stepped to the side as they approached.

"Woo, go Gary! Go Growlithe!" She clapped as they jogged passed, Growlithe giving a happy bark and Gary managing to look irritated even in motion. She laughed to herself as they continued on their way, no doubt having some distance still to go.

Gary was taking Growlithe's rehabilitation very seriously, spending much of his recent time with the rapidly improving Fire-type. Gary could be abrasive and arrogant, but none of them doubted that he cared very much for the Pokemon under his watch.

Reaching the outskirts of Pallet Town she came to a stop, slowly twirling around as she decided on a direction. She could head back the way she had come, the markets would probably be opening by the time she arrived and she could do a bit of shopping. Alternatively she could go for a little adventure in the forests, something that was always fun. Normally, she only ever went with Ash but occasionally she had ventured forth on her own, experiencing a taste of what being a Pokemon Ranger would be like. The very thought of it filled her with excitement, and made her choice easy.

' _Then again...'_ She hesitated, looking down at her clothes. She wasn't exactly dressed for a trek. If she went, she'd have to take it slowly and not go too deeply. This area had been mapped by her and Ash pretty thoroughly since it was so close to the edge of the town, so she was confident there would be nothing too dangerous.

' _Better to be safe than sorry. I'll let someone know where I'm going.'_

Happy with her decision, she withdrew her phone and sent off a message to Ash and her mother. In the message to Ash she included a map reference which would indicate exactly where she had entered the forest, something only he would understand. If the worst case scenario occurred, they would know exactly where she was. It wouldn't be strange if Ash came to join her anyway, what with him being equally as enthusiastic about being out in nature.

With that done she entered the forests of Pallet. It was easy going to begin with, the foliage being sparse and the trees skinny but then steadily, the further in she went, progress became more difficult. It didn't help that her loose top was rather annoying, always getting in the way. She was sure it would be torn before the day was over.

Kylie made her way through as best she could, spotting familiar landmarks or 'totems' that she and Ash had constructed to guide their way. Occasionally she'd see some wild Pokemon here or there, sometimes they'd even come over in curiosity and let her play with them. She had definitely gotten a lot better with gaining the trust of Pokemon, especially ones that started off cautious. But no matter how good she got, she doubted she'd ever be as good as Ash. He just seemed to have a gift, able to gain anyone's trust, human or Pokemon.

She had been in the forests for about half an hour when a panicked screech seized her attention, making her spin on the spot. She froze, concentrating on her hearing, trying to pinpoint exactly where the noise had come from. Setting off blindly and crashing through the forests in a mad rush was a good way to twist your ankle and end up in need of rescuing. It was always safer to calmly analyse the situation.

Kylie waited for almost thirty seconds, the natural ambience of the forest all that she could hear, until finally the sound of branches breaking and that same screech echoed out again. She had the direction firmly in her sights now.

Slowly, she began to pick her way forward. Every move she made was cautious, having had the dangers of interfering with a wild Pokemon battle firmly drilled into her both by Ash and her text-books. That was the conclusion she had come to, the noise clearly one of distress and indicating something bad had happened. She knew she should head back and retreat to the safety of Pallet Town, but there was something in that piercing sound that had called out. It felt like it was pleading for help.

And so she moved forward. Adrenaline was pulsing through her, and she could feel the sweat beading on her brow as she picked her way past branches and vines. For five minutes this time, the only sounds were of her movement and the occasional skitter of a Pokemon in her periphery. It was as she inched around a massive tree, the trunk at least as thick as three of her, that she found what she was looking for.

She barely managed to stifle the startled gasp.

On a bed of snapped branches, torn leaves and bent feathers there lay a Fearow, bloody and broken as though it had been cast from the sky. Looking above it, Kylie realised that may have been just what happened as there was a clear path of destruction through the canopy. Glancing around she could see no other Pokemon. And then Kylie realised that whatever had caused this hadn't seen fit to finish the job. The Fearow was alive.

A weak, barely audible noise trickled from the beak of the once-great bird, the agony plain for her to hear. Steeling herself, Kylie stepped out from behind the cover of her tree, into the fallen Pokemon's sight. It tried to move, using what must have been the last of its strength to twitch its broken wings aggressively, but there was nothing it could do, falling still.

"Shhh, it's okay." Kylie whispered, dropping to a crouch and holding up her hands. The sharp eyes of the broken bird were locked on her own, full of fierce intelligence and unbearable pain.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she shuffled forward, calling out soft words as she went.

"I'm not going to hurt you, okay?"

She was close now, if she wanted she could reach out and touch the Pokemon's long beak. Only the knowledge that it was the main weapon of a Fearow stayed her hand. It hadn't tried to move again, but it was still making noises while its eyes followed her every move. As close as she was she could see the damage. She was no medic, not yet anyway, but from what she did know the injuries looked fatal. Broken bones, wings bent at odd angles and deep gouges which flowed freely with the life-blood of the Pokemon. Maybe if there was someone here who could help it would be different, but Kylie had nothing available for a situation like this. And so she did the only thing she could think of. She talked to the dying bird.

"I'm sorry. I don't have anything to help you."

It crowed weakly in response, not even having the strength to raise its head.

Kylie wanted to ease its suffering some how, some way, but touching the wild Pokemon still seemed like a daft idea, even if it was on death's door.

They sat there, girl and Pokemon for a time. It was hard for Kylie, watching a Pokemon die. She was under no illusions that it would be the last time, the career of a Pokemon Ranger would no doubt force her to repeat such an experience time and again. But even so, it was hard.

Movement drew her from her morose thoughts, the Fearow had begun to raise its left wing as best it could considering the damage. Kylie made her decision then, to help the Pokemon in what may be its final act. As gently, and as openly as she could she moved forwards, once more stating her intent to help. Thankfully, the Fearow seemed to understand and didn't become agitated with her attempt to offer aid. Avoiding the opened wounds and mangled bone of the wing, Kylie placed her hands underneath it, feeling the Pokemon flinch at the contact. Slowly, she began to raise it, paying attention to the bird's reactions so as not to cause any unnecessary pain. What had been concealed beneath wing stole her breath away.

There, lying in the grass, were two of the smallest Spearow she had ever seen. One of them could easily fit in the palm of her hands. They were chicks she realised and probably not even a few days old. And then it clicked.

The Fearow _..._ had been protecting its young. It must have fought off whatever was threatening them, but the cost had been great. As horrible as it was, Kylie knew nature could be cruel, but this...

Kylie felt the tears prick at her eyes, horror encroaching as she noticed something was wrong. It wasn't only the parent that would perish from its wounds, but she now saw that only one of the chicks was alive.

"No..." She whispered, hoping she was mistaken. She lowered her head, aware of the weak cawing of the Fearow to her side, and tried to get a better look. The tears fell as she confirmed her fears.

She closed her eyes briefly, wiping her tears. There was still something she could do. The only thing she could do.

With the utmost of care, she scooped up the still living chick and brought it before the eyes of its parent, holding it so that she could see it.

"I'm sorry..." She said softly, tears falling freely now. Could a Pokemon understand something like this? Through words alone, without seeing the evidence? She knew that Ash would think they could, but she wasn't sure. And so, she gently placed the still living chick down, and scooped the other one up. She held it closely, watching as the Fearow looked upon it. She marvelled at the intelligence she could see in the large bird's eyes, and swore she could see the moment of comprehension. Its eyes closed before it let out a cry, long and heartbroken, one that Kylie would never have believe to come from something other than a human. It lasted only for a few moments before silence once more reigned.

It was close now, she could tell. The damaged Pokemon would not survive much longer, and so she held the surviving chick close, allowing them some final physical comfort.

For five minutes, the parent and child shared in their familial bond. And then it was over.

"I'll take care of her, I promise." Kylie said, watching as the life disappeared from the Fearow's eyes.

* * *

She was still sat there when Ash found her a little while later. He didn't call out to her, or ask her what happened, able to comprehend what had occurred from looking around. He sat next to her and pulled her close to him, careful of the Pokemon sleeping in her hands.

The two friends sat together for a while, Kylie occasionally shuddering with a trembling sob, and Ash rubbing her shoulder, all too aware of what it was like.

Eventually, Ash got to his feet, helping Kylie up too. She didn't resist, and simply allowed herself to be led out of the forest and all the way to Professor Oak's lab. The journey there had been a blur for Kylie, and she honestly couldn't remember if she had talked to Ash even once the entire time. When they arrived, Professor Oak had quickly agreed to check on the baby Pokemon to ensure it was healthy, and when Kylie had asked to take care of it, the Professor looked reluctant. She was about to argue or beg, she didn't know which when Ash spoke up in support. He promised to help her raise the chick, taking responsibility and that was enough to get Professor Oak to relent.

She was truly lucky to have met Ash.

The Professor did insist on keeping the chick there over night at least however, and Kylie had to accept the compromise. Kylie whispered her good-byes to the chick, promising to see her tomorrow which got a tiny caw of approval, before she departed.

After a restless night where sleep was elusive, Kylie left her house early the next morning and met Ash who had insisted on joining her. Together they made their way to Professor Oak's Lab. She had spent the night worrying herself into a frenzy about leaving the orphaned Spearow alone, and so the relief she felt upon seeing her again was palpable.

Gently, Kylie scooped up the tiny bird Pokemon from its soft bedding. Professor Oak still looked unsure, but once again Ash promised they'd be okay. Kylie agreed, knowing that she would do everything she could to ensure the baby Spearow grew up fine.

Ash and Kylie left the lab, talking about all the things they'd need to find or buy. Professor Oak had provided some books of caring for baby Pokemon, but it seemed fairly straight-forward.

Now all she had to worry about was getting her mother's permission to keep her new Pokemon. _Great._

* * *

A/N: Another downtime chapter. Hopefully the characters feel a bit more fleshed out now. Next chapter will probably be another skip, possibly all the way to Ash's departure, not sure yet. I didn't really plan to give Ash a standard starter on top of Mankey, but let me know if you think I should. Also, just an FYI Gary and Kylie won't have much screen time once Ash leaves.


End file.
